berth

[ burth ]
See synonyms for: berthberthedberthing on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a shelflike sleeping space, as on a ship, airplane, or railroad car.

  2. Nautical.

    • the space allotted to a vessel at anchor or at a wharf.

    • the distance maintained between a vessel and the shore, another vessel, or any object.

    • the position or rank of a ship's officer.

    • the cabin of a ship's officer.

  1. a job; position.

  2. a place, listing, or role: She clinched a berth on our tennis team.

verb (used with object)
  1. Nautical.

    • to allot to (a vessel) a certain space at which to anchor or tie up.

    • to bring to or install in a berth, anchorage, or moorage: The captain had to berth the ship without the aid of tugboats.

  2. to provide with a sleeping space, as on a train.

verb (used without object)
  1. Nautical. to come to a dock, anchorage, or moorage.

Idioms about berth

  1. give a wide berth to, to shun; remain discreetly away from: Since his riding accident, he has given a wide berth to skittish horses.

Origin of berth

1
First recorded in 1615–25; probably equivalent to bear1 + -th1

Other words for berth

Other words from berth

  • un·berth, verb (used with object)

Words that may be confused with berth

Words Nearby berth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use berth in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for berth

berth

/ (bɜːθ) /


noun
  1. a bed or bunk in a vessel or train, usually narrow and fixed to a wall

  2. nautical a place assigned to a ship at a mooring

  1. nautical sufficient distance from the shore or from other ships or objects for a ship to manoeuvre

  2. give a wide berth to to keep clear of; avoid

  3. nautical accommodation on a ship

  4. informal a job, esp as a member of a ship's crew

verb
  1. (tr) nautical to assign a berth to (a vessel)

  2. nautical to dock (a vessel)

  1. (tr) to provide with a sleeping place, as on a vessel or train

  2. (intr) nautical to pick up a mooring in an anchorage

Origin of berth

1
C17: probably from bear 1 + -th 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with berth

berth

see give a wide berth to.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.