beach

¹

[beech]

noun

1. an expanse of sand or pebbles along a shore.

2. the part of the shore of an ocean, sea, large river, lake, etc., washed by the tide or waves.

   Synonyms: littoral, strand, seashore, coast

3. the area adjacent to a seashore.

   We're vacationing at the beach.

verb (used with object)

1. Nautical.,  to haul or run onto a beach.

   We beached the ship to save it.

2. to make inoperative or unemployed.

   Synonyms: ground

Beach

²

[beech]

noun

1. Alfred Ely, 1826–96, U.S. editor, publisher, and inventor.

2. Amy Marcey Cheney 1867–1944, U.S. composer and pianist.

3. Moses Yale, 1800–68, U.S. newspaper publisher.

4. Rex Ellingwood 1877–1949, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.

5. Sylvia Woodbridge, 1887–1962, U.S. bookseller and publisher in France.

beach

/ biːtʃ /

noun

1. an extensive area of sand or shingle sloping down to a sea or lake, esp the area between the high- and low-water marks on a seacoast

verb

1. to run or haul (a boat) onto a beach

beach

1. The area of accumulated sand, stone, or gravel deposited along a shore by the action of waves and tides. Beaches usually slope gently toward the body of water they border and have a concave shape. They extend landward from the low water line to the point where there is a distinct change in material (as in a line of vegetation) or in land features (as in a cliff).

Other Word Forms

• beachless adjective
• unbeached adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beach¹

First recorded in 1525–35; of obscure origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of beach¹

C16: perhaps related to Old English bæce river, _beck ²

Synonym Study

See shore ¹.

Example Sentences

They ended up winning the whole thing, beating some of the nation’s best teams, despite the fact they’d stayed up late playing Heads Up and were sunburned from a beach visit the day before.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For a beach holiday, consider coastal favorites like a Pattaya beach hotel or a North Pattaya hotel, and this Hua Hin resort.

Read more on Salon

Next, we’d go for a walk on the beach to enjoy the beauty and fresh ocean air.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Over Labor Day weekend, the couple took Leo to the Long Island shore and enjoyed the beach.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Many pups also died on the beach after being abandoned by their bird-flu-infected mothers.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• coast 
• shore 
• waterfront