barge

[bahrj]

noun

1. a capacious, flat-bottomed vessel, usually intended to be pushed or towed, for transporting freight or passengers; lighter.

2. a vessel of state used in pageants.

   elegantly decorated barges on the Grand Canal in Venice.

3. Navy.,  a boat reserved for a flag officer.

4. a boat that is heavier and wider than a shell, often used in racing as a training boat.

5. New England (chiefly Older Use).,  a large, horse-drawn coach or, sometimes, a bus.

verb (used without object)

barged, barging 

1. to move clumsily; bump into things; collide.

   to barge through a crowd.

2. to move in the slow, heavy manner of a barge.

verb (used with object)

barged, barging 

1. to carry or transport by barge.

   Coal and ore had been barged down the Ohio to the Mississippi.

verb phrase

1. barge into

   1. Also barge in on. to force oneself upon, especially rudely; interfere in.

      to barge into a conversation.

   2. to bump into; collide with.

      He started to run away and barged into a passer-by.

2. barge in,  to intrude, especially rudely.

   I hated to barge in without an invitation.

barge

/ bɑːdʒ /

noun

1. a vessel, usually flat-bottomed and with or without its own power, used for transporting freight, esp on canals

2. a vessel, often decorated, used in pageants, for state occasions, etc

3. navy a boat allocated to a flag officer, used esp for ceremonial occasions and often carried on board his flagship

4. humorous,  any vessel, esp an old or clumsy one

5. informal,  a heavy or cumbersome surfboard

verb

1. informal,  to bump (into)

2. informal,  (tr) to push (someone or one's way) violently

3. informal,  (intr; foll by into or in) to interrupt rudely or clumsily

   to barge into a conversation

4. (tr) sailing to bear down on (another boat or boats) at the start of a race

5. (tr) to transport by barge

6. informal,  (intr) to move slowly or clumsily

Word History and Origins

Origin of barge¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Middle French, perhaps < Latin *bārica; bark ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of barge¹

C13: from Old French, from Medieval Latin barga , probably from Late Latin barca a small boat; see _barque

Example Sentences

But they barged past Frank at full-time as he tried to get them to acknowledge the home fans.

Read more on Barron's

Vietnam began reclaiming land on a large scale in 2021, when huge dredging barges appeared near several reefs and rocks in the Spratlys.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

One of the suspects claimed to have a search warrant, and when the resident asked what it was for, the men barged into the house.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There was a bit of controversy at the start in Singapore, when Norris barged past into third place.

Read more on BBC

Daryl Clark barged over in the final minutes for England, but it was no more than a consolation.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• raft