Ditch

UK: /ˈdɪtʃ/ US: /dɪtʃ/ ,(dich)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Ditch / dɪtʃ/ noun

1. the Ditch ⇒ an informal name for the Tasman Sea

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ditch /dɪtʃ/   n. [countable]

1. a long, narrow channel dug in the ground, such as for drainage or irrigation;
   trench.

v. 

2. Aeronautics to crash-land on water and abandon (an aircraft): [~ + object]
   The pilot ditched the plane and climbed out on his raft.
   [no object]
   "We'll have to ditch!'' yelled the co-pilot.
3. Slang Terms [~ + object]
   • to get rid of;
     abandon:
     The robbers ditched the getaway car.
   • to leave or stop seeing (someone):
     He ditched her before he could get too involved.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ditch  (dich), n. 

1. a long, narrow excavation made in the ground by digging, as for draining or irrigating land;
   trench.
2. any open passage or trench, as a natural channel or waterway.

v.t. 

3. to dig a ditch or ditches in or around.
4. Rail Transport to derail (a train) or drive or force (an automobile, bus, etc.) into a ditch.
5. Aeronautics to crash-land on water and abandon (an airplane).
6. Slang Terms
   • to get rid of:
     I ditched that old hat of yours.
   • to escape from:
     He ditched the cops by driving down an alley.
   • to absent oneself from (school or a class) without permission or an acceptable reason.

v.i. 

7. to dig a ditch.
8. Aeronautics (of an aircraft or its crew) to crash-land in water and abandon the sinking aircraft.
9. Slang Terms to be truant;
   play hooky.

• bef. 900; 1940–45 for def. 5, 1885–90 for def. 6, 1955–60 for def. 9; Middle English dich, Old English dīc; cognate with German Teich. See dike¹

ditch′less, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ditch / dɪtʃ/ noun

1. a narrow channel dug in the earth, usually used for drainage, irrigation, or as a boundary marker

verb

1. to make a ditch or ditches in (a piece of ground)
2. (intransitive) to edge (something) with a ditch
3. to crash or be crashed, esp deliberately, as to avoid more unpleasant circumstances: he had to ditch the car
4. (transitive) to abandon or discard
5. to land (an aircraft) on water in an emergency
6. (transitive) to evade

Etymology: Old English dīc; related to Old Saxon dīk, Old Norse dīki, Middle High German tīch dyke, pond, Latin fīgere to stick, see dyke¹

ˈditcher noun