Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Raft
Raft
,Noun.
[Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. ]
raptr
a rafter; akin to Dan. raft
, Prov. G. raff
a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. rāfo
, rāvo
, a beam, rafter, Icel. rāf
roof. Cf. Rafter
, Noun.
1.
A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the like, fastened together, either for their own collective conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in conveying other things; a float.
2.
A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which obstructs navigation.
[U.S.]
3.
[Perhaps akin to
raff
a heap.] A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately.
[Slang, U. S.]
“A whole raft of folks.” W. D. Howells.
Raft bridge
. (a)
A bridge whose points of support are rafts
. (b)
A bridge that consists of floating timbers fastened together.
– Raft duck
. [The name alludes to its swimming in dense flocks.]
(Zool.)
(a)
The bluebill, or greater scaup duck; – called also
flock duck
. See Scaup
. (b)
The redhead.
– Raft port
(Naut.)
, a large, square port in a vessel’s side for loading or unloading timber or other bulky articles; a timber or lumber port.
Raft
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Rafted
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Rafting
.] To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft;
as, to
. raft
timberWebster 1828 Edition
Raft
R'AFT
,Noun.
An assemblage of boards, planks or pieces of timber fastened together horizontally and floated down a stream; a float.
R'AFT
,pp.
Torn; rent; severed. Obs.
Definition 2025
raft
raft
English
Noun
raft (plural rafts)
- A flat structure made of planks, barrels etc., that floats on water, and is used for transport, emergencies or a platform for swimmers.
- A flat-bottomed inflatable craft for floating or drifting on water.
- A thick crowd of seabirds or sea mammals.
- (US) A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. which obstructs navigation in a river.
Derived terms
Translations
flat, floating structure
|
|
inflatable floating craft
|
Verb
raft (third-person singular simple present rafts, present participle rafting, simple past and past participle rafted)
Translations
Related terms
Etymology 2
Alteration of raff.
Noun
raft (plural rafts)
- A large (but unspecified) number, a lot.
- 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge 2008, p. 31:
- Among those arrested was the grand master himself, Jacques de Molay, who found himself facing a raft of charges based on the specious evidence of former knights [...].
- 2007, Edwin Mullins, The Popes of Avignon, Blue Bridge 2008, p. 31:
Translations
large but unspecified number of something
Etymology 3
Verb
raft
- simple past tense and past participle of reave
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Spenser to this entry?)
