beach

¹ American  

[beech] / bitʃ /

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.

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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 American  

[beech] / bitʃ /

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.

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beach British  

/ 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

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verb

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

beach Scientific  

/ bēch /

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).

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Related Words

See shore ¹.

Other Word Forms

• beachless adjective
• unbeached adjective

Etymology

Origin of beach

First recorded in 1525–35; of obscure origin

Example Sentences

The 18-year-old who is about to become Britain's youngest ever Formula 1 driver is sitting on a beach in Bahrain, a Gulf mist obscuring the still-rising sun, and he's pondering a question.

From BBC

Millions of litres of raw sewage have flown into the waters off Wellington's picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on February 4.

From Barron's

And recently, in a Facebook group on the new Royal Caribbean beach club I just visited, someone posted a rendering of a pool area that looks different from the real thing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Access to a popular beach on Dorset's Jurassic Coast has been closed after storms destroyed part of the steps.

From BBC

Tourists and locals were urged to seek shelter and not venture out and footage they recorded showed black plumes of smoke rising above the popular beach resort.

From BBC

Related Words

• coast
• shore
• waterfront