A boat is something in which people can travel across water.
One of the best ways to see the area is in a small boat.
The island may be reached by boat from the mainland.
Synonyms: vessel, ship, craft, barge [informal] More Synonyms of boat
2. countable noun
You can refer to a passenger ship as a boat.
When the boat reached Cape Town, we said a temporary goodbye.
3. See also gravy boat, rowing boat
4.
See to miss the boat
5.
See to push the boat out
6.
See to rock the boat
7.
See in the same boat
boat in British English
(bəʊt)
noun
1.
a small vessel propelled by oars, paddle, sails, or motor for travelling, transporting goods, etc, esp one that can be carried aboard a larger vessel
2. (not in technical use) another word for ship1
3. navy
a submarine
4.
a container for gravy, sauce, etc
5.
a small boat-shaped container for incense, used in some Christian churches
6. in the same boat
7. burn one's boats
8. miss the boat
9. push the boat out
10. rock the boat
verb
11. (intransitive)
to travel or go in a boat, esp as a form of recreation
12. (transitive)
to transport or carry in a boat
Word origin
Old English bāt; related to Old Norse beit boat
boat in American English
(boʊt)
noun
1.
a small, open water vehicle propelled by oars, sails, engine, etc.
2.
a large such vehicle for use in inland waters
an ore boat on the Great Lakes
3.
any large, seagoing water vehicle; ship: a term in popular use, but not by sailors
4.
a boat-shaped dish
a gravy boat
verb transitive
5.
to lay or carry in the boat
to boat the oars
6.
to pull or lift into a boat
to boat a fish
verb intransitive
7.
to go in a boat; row, sail, or cruise
Idioms:
in the same boat
miss the boat
rock the boat
Word origin
ME bot < OE bat (akin to Ger & Du boot) < IE base *bheid-, to split (in the sense “hollowed-out tree trunk”) > fission
More idioms containing
boat
rock the boat
push the boat out
in the same boat
float someone's boat
miss the boat
Examples of 'boat' in a sentence
boat
Strain into a warmed gravy boat to serve.
The Sun (2016)
He said the lure of a better life abroad was tempting thousands of people into rickety boats.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We could try putting together a light aircraft or a small boat.
The Sun (2016)
The Japanese fisheries agency said that its fleet would be protected by patrol boats.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If we decide to go for a new boat, this one will be sold for sure.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Sometimes it's good to push the boat out.
The Sun (2016)
One of the boat's foils was damaged.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At university, she was helped by her father to find a practical car that could carry her boat and equipment.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He woke up to find he was being battered by towering waves in the Indian Ocean and the boat was motoring away from him into the night.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The passenger boats taking part will be allowed to charge to carry people.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then strain into a gravy boat and serve with the carved chicken.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The people on that boat or the ocean.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Local fishermen have been taking people closer to the island on their boats.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We will also be out patrolling in a boat tomorrow to make sure.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There were no other boats in the area.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There were two men left alive in one boat as she touched.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We can push the boat out as much as any club.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Would you sail an ocean on a small boat?
The Sun (2010)
One of the boats came up to my boat and rammed the side really hard.
The Sun (2007)
We missed the boat on the last vote and now we need to get on with it.
The Sun (2015)
Passenger boats will bring up the rear.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Suddenly the idea of having two people driving the boat makes sense.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They attempt to paddle the boat back to shore but they are too weak to use the oar with any effectiveness.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The only transport was by boat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
She has been tracked for three weeks after approaching a boat carrying fisheries protection officers south of Albany.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Two teams of Marines left their ship at 5am and sped towards the hijacked vessel in inflatable boats.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
A flotilla of 1,000 fishing boats left mainland China yesterday for the islands.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Quotations
There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boatsKenneth GrahameThe Wind in the Willows
In other languages
boat
British English: boat /bəʊt/ NOUN
A boat is something in which people can travel across water.
...a small fishing boat.
American English: boat
Arabic: مَرْكَب
Brazilian Portuguese: barco
Chinese: 小船
Croatian: brod
Czech: loď
Danish: båd
Dutch: boot
European Spanish: barco
Finnish: vene
French: bateau
German: Boot
Greek: βάρκα
Italian: nave
Japanese: ボート
Korean: 배
Norwegian: båt
Polish: łódź
European Portuguese: barco
Romanian: barcă
Russian: лодка
Latin American Spanish: barco
Swedish: båt
Thai: เรือ
Turkish: tekne
Ukrainian: човен
Vietnamese: thuyền
All related terms of 'boat'
E-boat
(in World War II) a fast German boat carrying guns and torpedoes
U-boat
a German submarine , esp in World Wars I and II
PT boat
patrol torpedo boat, the former US term for an MTB
boat deck
the deck of a ship on which the lifeboats are kept
boat hook
a hook mounted at the end of a pole, used to pull or push boats toward or away from a landing , to pick up a mooring , etc
boat neck
a high slitlike neckline of a garment that extends onto the shoulders
boat race
→ the boat race
boat ride
a ride in a boat
boat shoe
a shoe , usually in a style somewhat like a moccasin , with a rubber sole suitable for walking on the deck of a boat
boat trip
a trip in a boat
jet boat
a power boat that is powered and steered by a jet of water under pressure
surf boat
a strong , buoyant rowboat with high ends, adapted for beaching and passing through surf
banana boat
a refrigerated ship used for transporting bananas
boat drill
practice in launching the lifeboats and taking off the passengers and crew of a ship
boat people
Boat people are people who escape from their country in small boats to travel to another country in the hope that they will be able to live there.
boat-shaped
shaped like a boat
boat shoes
shoes for wearing on board boats, often laced moccasins
boat train
A boat train is a train that takes you to or from a port.
canal boat
A canal boat is a long, narrow boat used for travelling on canals.
cargo boat
a ship carrying cargo
couta boat
a type of traditional wooden sailing boat, originally used for fishing
flying boat
a seaplane in which the fuselage consists of a hull that provides buoyancy in the water
gravy boat
A gravy boat is a long narrow jug that is used to serve gravy.
jolly boat
a small boat used as a utility tender for a vessel
narrow boat
A narrow boat is a long, low boat used on canals.
packet boat
a boat that travels a regular route , as along a coast or on a river, carrying passengers , freight , and mail
paddle boat
A paddle boat or a paddle steamer is a large boat that is pushed through the water by the movement of large wheels that are attached to its sides.
party boat
a boat that takes paying passengers for a day or several hours of fishing, as in coastal waters or a bay , and usually rents fishing tackle and sells or provides bait
patrol boat
a boat designed to patrol a coastal area, etc for security , observation and defence
pedal boat
a recreational water vehicle, consisting of two pontoons with a transverse seat and propelled by a pedal-operated paddle wheel
pilot boat
a vessel used by a person who is qualified to steer or guide a ship into or out of a port, river mouth, etc
rowing boat
A rowing boat is a small boat that you move through the water by using oars.
sauce boat
a small often boat-shaped vessel for serving gravy or other sauces
ship's boat
a boat for communication between ship and shore
swamp boat
a shallow-draught boat powered by an æroplane engine mounted on a raised structure for use in swamps
boat accident
An accident happens when a vehicle hits a person, an object, or another vehicle, causing injury or damage.
fishing boat
a boat used for fishing
herring boat
a fishing boat that specializes in catching herring
Mackinaw boat
a small boat for sailing or rowing with pointed bow and stern , formerly used on and around the upper Great Lakes
mosquito boat
a motor torpedo boat
pleasure boat
A pleasure boat is a large boat which takes people for trips on rivers , lakes , or on the sea for pleasure.
sailing boat
A sailing boat is a boat with sails.
torpedo boat
(formerly) a small high-speed warship designed to carry out torpedo attacks in coastal waters
vedette boat
a small patrol vessel
Q-ship
a merchant ship with concealed guns , used to decoy enemy ships into the range of its weapons
miss the boat
to fail to act in time to take advantage of an opportunity
rock the boat
to do something which might cause trouble in a situation
the boat race
a rowing event held annually in the spring , in which an eight representing Oxford University rows against one representing Cambridge University on the Thames between Putney and Mortlake
sleigh bed
a bed resembling a sleigh in shape, with curved boards at the head and foot
boat-billed heron
a nocturnal , tropical American wading bird ( Cochlearius cochlearius ) with a large, broad bill : it is the only member of a family (Cochleariidae) of wading birds
Chinese translation of 'boat'
boat
(bəut)
n(c)
(= small vessel) 船 (chuán) (艘, sōu)
(= ship) 轮(輪)船 (lúnchuán) (艘, sōu)
to go by boat乘船去 (chéngchuán qù)
to be in the same boat处(處)境相同 (chǔjìng xiāngtóng)
to rock the boat捣(搗)乱(亂) (dǎoluàn)
All related terms of 'boat'
rowing boat
划艇 huátǐng [ 艘 sōu ] [ 美 = rowboat ]
fishing boat
渔(漁)船 yúchuán [ 条(條) tiáo ]
sailing boat
帆船 fānchuán [ 美 = sailboat ]
to go by boat
乘船去 chéngchuán qù
to rock the boat
捣(搗)乱(亂) dǎoluàn
to make a boat fast
( Brit ) 把船拴牢 bǎ chuán shuānláo
the boat was 25 km out
船开(開)出了25公里(裡) chuán kāichūle èrshíwǔ gōnglǐ
to be in the same boat
处(處)境相同 chǔjìng xiāngtóng
(noun)
Definition
a ship
One of the best ways to see the area is in a small boat.
Synonyms
vessel
a Moroccan fishing vessel
ship
We went by ship over to America.
craft
We sighted a small craft on the horizon.
barge (informal)
watercraft
barque (poetic)
idioms
See in the same boat
See miss the boat
See push the boat out
See rock the boat
subject word lists
See Boats and ships
Quotation
There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats [Kenneth Grahame – The Wind in the Willows]