This section is from the book "The Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia", by Luke Hebert. Also available from Amazon: Engineer's And Mechanic's Encyclopaedia.
A frame of timber, stone, or other matter, serving to retain and raise the water of a river, etc, and, on occasion, to let it pass. Such is the sluice of a mill, which stops and collects the water of a rivulet, etc, to let it fall, at length, in the greater plenty upon the mill wheel; such also are those used as vents, ordrains,todischarge water off land. See Tide-mill, Water-wheel, etc.
 
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