n. A strong flow of water away from the shore of the ocean.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. a stretch of turbulent water in a river or the sea caused by one current flowing into or across another current
n. a strong surface current flowing outwards from a shore
Word Usage
"A riptide occurs when water at high tide gets pooled behind reefs or sand bars so when the sea goes out again, the trapped water has to find a channel through which to escape the pool."