Wharf

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Wharf \Wharf\, n.; pl. {Wharfs}or {Wharves}. [AS. hwerf, hwearf,
     a returning, a change, from hweorfan to turn, turn about, go
     about; akin to D. werf a wharf, G. werft, Sw. varf a
     shipbuilder's yard, Dan. verft wharf, dockyard, G. werben to
     enlist, to engage, woo, OHG. werban to turn about, go about,
     be active or occupied, Icel. hverfa to turn, Goth.


     hwa['i]rban, hwarb[=o]n, to walk. Cf. {Whirl}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A structure or platform of timber, masonry, iron, earth,
        or other material, built on the shore of a harbor, river,
        canal, or the like, and usually extending from the shore
        to deep water, so that vessels may lie close alongside to
        receive and discharge cargo, passengers, etc.; a quay; a
        pier.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Commerce pushes its wharves into the sea.
                                                    --Bancroft.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Out upon the wharfs they came,
              Knight and burgher, lord and dame.    --Tennyson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The plural of this word is generally written wharves in
           the United States, and wharfs in England; but many
           recent English writers use wharves.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. [AS. hwearf.] The bank of a river, or the shore of the
        sea. [Obs.] "The fat weed that roots itself in ease on
        Lethe wharf." --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Wharf boat}, a kind of boat moored at the bank of a river,
        and used for a wharf, in places where the height of the
        water is so variable that a fixed wharf would be useless.
        [U. S.] --Bartlett.
  
     {Wharf rat}. (Zool.)
        (a) The common brown rat.
        (b) A neglected boy who lives around the wharfs. [Slang]
            [1913 Webster]
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Wharf \Wharf\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Wharfed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Wharfing}.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. To guard or secure by a firm wall of timber or stone
        constructed like a wharf; to furnish with a wharf or
        wharfs.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To place upon a wharf; to bring to a wharf.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  wharf
       n : a platform built out from the shore into the water and
           supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
           [syn: {pier}, {wharfage}, {dock}]
       v 1: provide with a wharf; "Wharf the mouth of the river"
       2: store on a wharf; "Wharf the merchandise"
       3: discharge at a wharf; "wharf the passengers"
       4: come into or dock at a wharf; "the big ship wharfed in the
          evening" [syn: {moor}, {berth}]
       5: moor at a wharf; "The ship was wharfed"
       [also: {wharves} (pl)]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  35 Moby Thesaurus words for "wharf":
     anchorage, anchorage ground, basin, berth, breakwater, bulkhead,
     dock, dockage, dockyard, dry dock, embankment, groin, harbor,
     harborage, haven, jetty, jutty, landing, landing place,
     landing stage, levee, marina, mole, moorings, pier, port,
     protected anchorage, quay, road, roads, roadstead, seaport,
     seawall, shipyard, slip