berth

American  

[burth] / bɜrθ /

noun

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

2. Nautical.

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

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

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

   4. the cabin of a ship's officer.

3. a job; position.

4. a place, listing, or role.

   She clinched a berth on our tennis team.

   Synonyms:

   appointment, niche, post, position, slot, spot

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verb (used with object)

1. Nautical.

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

   2. 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

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.

berth British  

/ 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

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

4. to keep clear of; avoid

5. nautical accommodation on a ship

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

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verb

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

2. nautical to dock (a vessel)

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

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

berth More Idioms  

1. see give a wide berth to.

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Other Word Forms

• unberth verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of berth

First recorded in 1615–25; probably equivalent to bear ¹ + -th ¹

Example Sentences

The Suns are 32-23, seventh in the Western Conference and one game behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the last guaranteed West playoff berth.

From Barron's

Maher has enough berth space to accommodate six or seven of the largest containerships that call at New York-New Jersey, almost double the berth space of the port’s next largest terminal.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over six seasons, he led the team to three playoff berths and was once named coach of the year.

From The Wall Street Journal

If the Fed’s enviable track record of price stability had continued through this decade, central bankers may have been granted wider berth.

From The Wall Street Journal

Uhlaender’s last hope for a discretionary berth is an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dock
• port
• wharf