A boat is a small vessel for travelling on water, especially one that carries only a few people.
A larger vessel is usually referred to as a ship.
However, in conversation large passenger ships which travel short distances are sometimes called boats.
Be Careful!
When you are describing the way in which someone travels, you do not say that they travel 'by the boat' or 'by the ship'. You say that they travel by boat or by ship.
Imperative |
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boat |
boat |
Noun | 1. | ![]() ark - a boat built by Noah to save his family and animals from the flood boat whistle - a whistle on a boat that is sounded as a warning bumboat - a small boat that ferries supplies and commodities for sale to a larger ship at anchor canal boat, narrow boat, narrowboat - a long boat that carries freight and is narrow enough to be used in canals ferry, ferryboat - a boat that transports people or vehicles across a body of water and operates on a regular schedule fireboat - a boat equipped to fight fires on ships or along a waterfront gondola - long narrow flat-bottomed boat propelled by sculling; traditionally used on canals of Venice guard boat - a boat that is on guard duty (as in a harbor) around a fleet of warships gunboat - a small shallow-draft boat carrying mounted guns; used by costal patrols junk - any of various Chinese boats with a high poop and lugsails longboat - the largest boat carried by a merchant sailing vessel lugger - small fishing boat rigged with one or more lugsails Mackinaw boat, mackinaw - a flat-bottomed boat used on upper Great Lakes mooring line, mooring - (nautical) a line that holds an object (especially a boat) in place painter - a line that is attached to the bow of a boat and used for tying up (as when docking or towing) pilot boat - a boat to carry pilots to and from large ships police boat - a boat used by harbor police pontoon - (nautical) a floating structure (as a flat-bottomed boat) that serves as a dock or to support a bridge punt - an open flat-bottomed boat used in shallow waters and propelled by a long pole river boat - a boat used on rivers or to ply a river scow - any of various flat-bottomed boats with sloping ends sea boat - a boat that is seaworthy; that is adapted to the open seas small boat - a boat that is small steamboat - a boat propelled by a steam engine surfboat - a boat that can be launched or landed in heavy surf vessel, watercraft - a craft designed for water transportation passenger, rider - a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it sculler - someone who sculls (moves a long oar pivoted on the back of the boat to propel the boat forward) wear round, tack - turn into the wind; "The sailors decided to tack the boat"; "The boat tacked" scull - propel with sculls; "scull the boat" |
2. | ![]() argyle, argyll - a covered gravy holder of silver or other metal containing a detachable central vessel for hot water to keep the gravy warm dish - a piece of dishware normally used as a container for holding or serving food; "we gave them a set of dishes for a wedding present" | |
Verb | 1. | boat - ride in a boat on water motorboat - ride in a motorboat yacht - travel in a yacht sail - travel on water propelled by wind; "I love sailing, especially on the open sea"; "the ship sails on" row - propel with oars; "row the boat across the lake" canoe - travel by canoe; "canoe along the canal" kayak - travel in a small canoe; "we kayaked down the river" paddle - propel with a paddle; "paddle your own canoe" ride - be carried or travel on or in a vehicle; "I ride to work in a bus"; "He rides the subway downtown every day" |