berth

[ burth ]

/ bɜrθ /

See synonyms for: berth / berthed / berthing on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

Nautical.

the space allotted to a vessel at anchor or at a wharf.
the distance maintained between a vessel and the shore, another vessel, or any object.
the position or rank of a ship's officer.
the cabin of a ship's officer.

a job; position.

a place, listing, or role: She clinched a berth on our tennis team.

verb (used with object)

Nautical.

to allot to (a vessel) a certain space at which to anchor or tie up.
to bring to or install in a berth, anchorage, or moorage: The captain had to berth the ship without the aid of tugboats.

to provide with a sleeping space, as on a train.

verb (used without object)

Nautical. to come to a dock, anchorage, or moorage.

SYNONYMS FOR berth

4 spot, slot, position, post, niche, appointment.

See synonyms for berth on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms for berth

give a wide berth to, to shun; remain discreetly away from: Since his riding accident, he has given a wide berth to skittish horses.

Origin of berth

1615–25; probably bear¹ + -th¹

OTHER WORDS FROM berth

un·berth, verb (used with object)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH berth

berth , birth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for berth

Both the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints enter Week 15 with playoff berths secured, but when they face off Sunday there will be a lot on the line.
The Saints and Chiefs are in hot pursuit of NFL’s critical top playoff seeds|Neil Greenberg|December 18, 2020|Washington Post
The western half of the country has vanished, its berths dwindling from its trickle of Oregon in 2014 and Washington in 2016.
The College Football Playoff has become an exclusive club. West Coast schools not invited.|Chuck Culpepper|December 18, 2020|Washington Post
With three weeks left to play in the NFL regular season, 26 teams remain in contention for a playoff berth.
NFL Week 15 playoff scenarios: The NFC picture is historically crowded|Matt Bonesteel|December 18, 2020|Washington Post
They hold the edge for a wild-card berth entering Week 11 games, just barely ahead of the Titans and Browns, both of whom are also 6-3.
AFC South thrives and the Steelers stay unbeaten in NFL Week 11|Cindy Boren, Mark Maske, Des Bieler|November 23, 2020|Washington Post

In fact, the station now brims with so many astronauts that it has run out of sleeping berths, so Hopkins may be snoozing in the Resilience capsule itself, he said during the press conference.
SpaceX and NASA officially flew people into space. What’s next?|Charlie Wood|November 18, 2020|Popular Science
The freighter had anchored off the Manila port area during the night, berthing in the early hours.
The Golden Skull|John Blaine
The ship had berthing room for eight or ten people irrespective of the officers who slept aft.
The Strand Magazine, Volume V, Issue 26, February 1893|Various
The berthing made to fit into a vessel's gangway on either side.
The Sailor's Word-Book|William Henry Smyth
To him each midshipman reported, saluting, stated his name, and received his berthing.
Dave Darrin's Second Year at Annapolis|H. Irving Hancock
The rest of his companions had to hasten to assist in the berthing of the airship.
The Dreadnought of the Air|Percy F. Westerman

British Dictionary definitions for berth

berth

/ (bɜːθ) /

noun

a bed or bunk in a vessel or train, usually narrow and fixed to a wall

nautical a place assigned to a ship at a mooring

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

give a wide berth to to keep clear of; avoid

nautical accommodation on a ship

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

verb

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

nautical to dock (a vessel)

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

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

Word Origin for berth

C17: probably from bear 1 + -th 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with berth

berth

see give a wide berth to.

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