sluice \sluice\, n. of. escluse, f. 'ecluse, ll. exclusa,
   sclusa, from l. excludere, exclusum, to shut out: cf. d.
   sluis sluice, from the old french. see exclude.
   1. an artifical passage for water, fitted with a valve or
      gate, as in a mill stream, for stopping or regulating the
      flow; also, a water gate or flood gate.
      1913 webster

   2. hence, an opening or channel through which anything flows;
      a source of supply.
      1913 webster

            each sluice of affluent fortune opened soon.
                                                  --harte.
      1913 webster

            this home familiarity . . . opens the sluices of
            sensibility.                          --i. taylor.
      1913 webster

   3. the stream flowing through a flood gate.
      1913 webster

   4. mining a long box or trough through which water flows,
      -- used for washing auriferous earth.
      1913 webster

   sluice gate, the sliding gate of a sluice.
      1913 webster
see also:
exclude sluice gate