harbour
Americannoun
noun
-
a sheltered port
-
a place of refuge or safety
verb
-
(tr) to give shelter to
to harbour a criminal
-
(tr) to maintain secretly
to harbour a grudge
-
to shelter (a vessel) in a harbour or (of a vessel) to seek shelter
Spelling
See -or 1.
Other Word Forms
- harbourer noun
- harbourless adjective
Etymology
Origin of harbour
Old English herebeorg, from here troop, army + beorg shelter; related to Old High German heriberga hostelry, Old Norse herbergi
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Supplies like hay, farm feed and bags of wood can harbour rodents.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
He will still harbour hopes of at least making the World Cup squad - but will need to make a good impression if he gets an opportunity against Uruguay and Japan.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
A third Iranian ship passed Sri Lanka and entered safe harbour in India’s southern port of Kochi.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
The longer-term plan is for the vessels to use Ardrossan harbour, which the Scottish government plans to nationalise.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026
I wondered if they were still down in the bay or whether they had gone back to the creek in Kerrith harbour.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
