A decision against the cigarette companies could open the floodgates to many more lawsuits...
Would it not set a precedent? Would it not open the floodgates?
English dictionary. 2008.
floodgates — flood‧gates [ˈflʌdgeɪts] noun open the floodgates to suddenly make it possible for a lot of people to do or have something for the first time: open the floodgates for • If this case is successful, it will open the floodgates for thousands of… … Financial and business terms
floodgates — a term referring to the metaphor of the floodgates of litigation, the notion that there is potentially an ocean of potential litigants with potential claims who would, if the floodgates were opened, engulf the courts and inundate the courts of… … Law dictionary
floodgates — [ˈflʌdˌgeɪts] noun open the floodgates to suddenly make it possible for a lot of things to happen[/ex] … Dictionary for writing and speaking English
floodgates — n. gate designed to regulate water flow, sluice … English contemporary dictionary
open the floodgates — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… … Financial and business terms
open the floodgates to sb — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… … Financial and business terms
open the floodgates to sb/sth — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… … Financial and business terms
open the floodgates to sth — Ⅰ. open the floodgates (to sb/sth) ► to make a lot of people do something by removing a rule that stopped it being possible before, especially when you do not want this to happen: »Banks feared the legal action could open the floodgates for… … Financial and business terms
open the floodgates for sth — open the floodgates (to/for sth) ► to allow a new situation or activity to develop and become very common: »Changes being considered could open the floodgates and allow foreign markets to sell almost any stock to almost anyone in this country.… … Financial and business terms
open the floodgates to/for sth — open the floodgates (to/for sth) ► to allow a new situation or activity to develop and become very common: »Changes being considered could open the floodgates and allow foreign markets to sell almost any stock to almost anyone in this country.… … Financial and business terms
