harbour

[hahr-ber]

noun

Chiefly British.

1. harbor.

harbour

/ ˈhɑːbə /

noun

1. a sheltered port

2. a place of refuge or safety

verb

1. (tr) to give shelter to

   to harbour a criminal

2. (tr) to maintain secretly

   to harbour a grudge

3. to shelter (a vessel) in a harbour or (of a vessel) to seek shelter

Spelling Note

See -or ¹.

Other Word Forms

• harbourless adjective
• harbourer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of harbour¹

Old English herebeorg, from here troop, army + beorg shelter; related to Old High German heriberga hostelry, Old Norse herbergi

Example Sentences

The university said the pits may be connected to underground cave networks that could provide natural shelter from harmful radiation and micrometeorite impacts, as well as harbour water ice.

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Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring terrorists who target Pakistan on its soil, a claim the Taliban reject.

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The gothic arches of Santa María de la Asunción crown the hill above the stone harbour where fishermen land their catches of sardines and anchovies.

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Taking advantage of the ceasefire, Raja Salmi walked back to her home in Gaza City, where weeks of Israeli bombardment and ground operations had targeted areas said to harbour thousands of Hamas fighters.

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Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul's authorities of harbouring militant groups that launch attacks on Pakistani soil with impunity -- allegations the Taliban government denies.

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