ferry

[fer-ee]

noun

plural

ferries 

1. a commercial service with terminals and boats for transporting persons, automobiles, etc., across a river or other comparatively small body of water.

2. a ferryboat.

3. a service for flying airplanes over a particular route, especially the delivery of airplanes to an overseas purchaser or base of operations.

4. the legal right to ferry passengers, cargo, etc., and to charge for the service.

verb (used with object)

ferried, ferrying 

1. to carry or convey back and forth over a fixed route in a boat or plane.

2. to fly (an airplane) over a particular route, especially for delivery.

verb (used without object)

ferried, ferrying 

1. to go in a ferry.

ferry

/ ˈfɛrɪ /

noun

1. Also called: ferryboat. a vessel for transporting passengers and usually vehicles across a body of water, esp as a regular service

2. 1. such a service

   2. ( in combination )

      a ferryman

3. a legal right to charge for transporting passengers by boat

4. the act or method of delivering aircraft by flying them to their destination

verb

1. to transport or go by ferry

2. to deliver (an aircraft) by flying it to its destination

3. (tr) to convey (passengers, goods, etc)

   the guests were ferried to the church in taxis

Other Word Forms

• unferried adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferry¹

before 1150; Middle English ferien, Old English ferian to carry; cognate with Old Norse ferja, Gothic farjan; akin to fare

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferry¹

Old English ferian to carry, bring; related to Old Norse ferja to transport, Gothic farjan ; see _fare

Example Sentences

Traffic was expected to have peaked Tuesday, with more than 52,000 flights set to ferry flyers to their feasts.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For a little over $46 a month, I have access to every bus, train, tram and ferry within 30 miles.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A South Korean passenger ferry carrying 246 passengers and 21 crew has run aground on rocks off the country's south-east coast.

Read more on BBC

Calmac ferries in Scotland have warned that some services have been cancelled, while others are "liable to disruption or cancellation at short notice" due to "adverse weather".

Read more on BBC

They’d also operate the elevators, ferrying people up and down the six floors.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• carry 
• chauffeur 
• lug 
• send 
• ship 
• shuttle 
• tote 
• transport