Berth Definition

bûrth
berthed, berthing, berths
noun
berths
Sufficient space for a vessel to maneuver; sea room.
Kept a clear berth of the reefs.
American Heritage
Enough space at sea to keep clear of another ship, the shore, etc.
Webster's New World
A space for a vessel to dock or anchor.
A steamship moored to its berth at the pier.
American Heritage
Space for anchoring or tying up.
Webster's New World
Employment on a vessel.
Sought an officer's berth in the merchant marine.
American Heritage
verb
berthed, berthing, berths
To bring (a vessel) to a berth.
American Heritage
To put into a berth.
Webster's New World
To come into or occupy a berth.
Webster's New World
To provide with a berth.
American Heritage
To furnish with a berth.
Webster's New World
idiom
a wide berth
  • Ample space or distance to avoid an unwanted consequence:

    gave their angry colleague a wide berth.

American Heritage
give (a) wide berth to
  • to stay at a prudent distance from; keep well clear of
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Berth

Noun

Singular:
berth
Plural:
berths

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Berth

  • a wide berth
  • give (a) wide berth to

Origin of Berth

  • Origin obscure, but apparently from Middle English *berth (“bearing, carriage”), equivalent to bear +‎ -th.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English birth perhaps akin to beren to bear bear1

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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