Word Direct Answers

What does "boat" mean?

Boat: Hence, any vessel; usually with some epithet descriptive of its use or mode of propulsion; as, pilot boat, packet boat, passage boat, advice boat, etc. The term is sometimes applied to steam vessels, even of the largest class; as, the Cunard boats.

Additional senses

  1. 2.A vehicle, utensil, or dish, somewhat resembling a boat in shape; as, a stone boat; a gravy boat. Note: Boat is much used either adjectively or in combination; as, boat builder or boatbuilder; boat building or boatbuilding; boat hook or boathook; boathouse; boat keeper or boatkeeper; boat load; boat race; boat racing; boat rowing; boat song; boatlike; boat-shaped. Advice boat. See under Advice. -- Boat hook (Naut.), an iron hook with a point on the back, fixed to a long pole, to pull or push a boat, raft, log, etc. Totten. -- Boat rope, a rope for fastening a boat; -- usually called a painter. -- In the same boat, in the same situation or predicament. [Colloq.] F. W. Newman.
  2. 3.To transport in a boat; as, to boat goods.
  3. 4.To place in a boat; as, to boat oars. To boat the oars. See under Oar.
  4. 5.To go or row in a boat. I boated over, ran my craft aground. Tennyson.

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