Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for ferry on Thesaurus.com a commercial service with terminals and boats for transporting persons, automobiles, etc., across a river or other comparatively small body of water. a ferryboat. a service for flying airplanes over a particular route, especially the delivery of airplanes to an overseas purchaser or base of operations. the legal right to ferry passengers, cargo, etc., and to charge for the service. Show More
verb (used with object), fer·ried, fer·ry·ing. to carry or convey back and forth over a fixed route in a boat or plane. to fly (an airplane) over a particular route, especially for delivery. Show More
verb (used without object), fer·ried, fer·ry·ing. to go in a ferry. Show More
Origin of ferry before 1150; Middle English ferien, Old English ferian to carry; cognate with
Old Norse ferja, Gothic farjan; akin to
fare Related forms un·fer·ried , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for ferry barge ,
ferryboat ,
tote ,
send ,
shuttle ,
lug ,
carry ,
ship ,
transport ,
chauffeur ,
packet ,
buck ,
run ,
bear ,
convey ,
pack ,
schlepp Examples from the Web for ferry Contemporary Examples of ferry And earlier that day, the 43-year-old had earned the précis, breaking up a skirmish by the Staten Island Ferry .
There was no trouble on the ferry as it reached Manhattan and a few of the passengers boarded the subway to the protest uptown.
As a precaution against a possible disturbance, the ferry was escorted by a police boat, its blue lights flashing.
Marine One will ferry him to JFK Airport, where Air Force One awaits.
For a more scenic journey, travel by ferry from Whittier or Valdez.
Historical Examples of ferry Not until five o'clock had he by turns urged and fought himself to the ferry .
He crossed the ferry and went to the hotel, where he shaved and freshened himself.
Then he told how he had met Mr Clennam at the ferry , and they had come over together.
Ferry 's scouts are there, and you'll say to Lieutenant Ferry the single word, Rodney.
Then Ferry called "Fours from the right, to march to the left--march!"
British Dictionary definitions for ferry Also called: ferryboat a vessel for transporting passengers and usually vehicles across a body of water, esp as a regular service such a service (in combination ) a ferryman a legal right to charge for transporting passengers by boat the act or method of delivering aircraft by flying them to their destination Show More
verb -ries , -rying or -ried to transport or go by ferry to deliver (an aircraft) by flying it to its destination (tr) to convey (passengers, goods, etc) the guests were ferried to the church in taxis Show More
Word Origin for ferry Old English ferian to carry, bring; related to Old Norse ferja to transport, Gothic farjan ; see fare
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
Word Origin and History for ferry v. Old English ferian "to carry, convey, bring, transport," from Proto-Germanic *farjanan (cf. Old Frisian feria "carry, transport," Old Norse ferja "to pass over, to ferry," Gothic farjan "travel by boat"), from PIE *per- "going, passage." Related to fare (v.). Related: Ferried ; ferries ; ferrying .
Show More
n. early 15c., "a passage over a river," from Old Norse ferju- "passage across water," ultimately from the same Germanic root as ferry (v.). The modern noun (1580s) is a shortening of ferry boat (mid-15c.).
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Before Eric Garner, There Was Michael Stewart: The Tragic Story of the Real-Life Radio Raheem