RAFT • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Raft

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/ræft/ Listen

noun

Raft n.

A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the like, fastened together, either for their own collective conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in conveying other things; a float.

A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which obstructs navigation. (U.S.)

A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately. (Slang, U. S.) "A whole raft of folks."

Raft bridge.

(a)

A bridge whose points of support are rafts.

(b)

A bridge that consists of floating timbers fastened together.

Raft duck. (Zool.)

(a)

The bluebill, or greater scaup duck; called also flock duck. See Scaup.

(b)

The redhead.

Raft port (Naut.), a large, square port in a vessel's side for loading or unloading timber or other bulky articles; a timber or lumber port.

verb

Raft v. t. (past & past part. rafted; pres. part. rafting) To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft; as, to raft timber.

Raft v. obs. Imp. & p. p. of Reave.

See images of 'Raft'

Etymology of 'Raft'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Raft" Quotes from Famous Books

... their ritual, and then boys and girls deriving also a little fun from their immersion. Here and there the bathing ghaut is diversified by a burning ghaut, and one may catch a glimpse of the extremities of the corpse twisting among the faggots. Here and there is a boat or raft in which a priest is seated under his umbrella, fishing for souls as men in punts on the Thames fish for roach. And over all is the pitiless sun, hot even now, before breakfast, ...

— Roving East and Roving West • E.V. Lucas

... we find in Defoe and Hogarth? An infinite multitude of detail—we all remember the 'three Dutch cheeses' and the 'fowling-pieces' which Robinson carefully ferried on his raft from the wreck to the island—an unsparing presentation of all the ugly and sordid realities of life; you might almost say, by preference the ugly realities, the squalid vices, the stupid and brutal ferocity of human nature. It is not a pretty or a pleasing world which ...

— The Unity of Civilization • Various

... the eddies, having voyaged, for aught I know, hundreds of miles from the wild upper sources of the river, passing down, down, between lines of forest, and sometimes a rough clearing, till here it floats by cultivated banks, and will soon pass by the village. Sometimes a long raft of boards comes along, requiring the nicest skill in navigating it through the narrow passage left by the mill-dam. Chaises and wagons occasionally go over the road, the riders all giving a passing glance at the dam, or perhaps alighting to examine it more fully, and at last departing with ominous ...

— Passages From The American Notebooks, Volume 1 • Nathaniel Hawthorne

... cutting some leafy branches that grew near, and trying them along the gunwales of my little craft. In less than half an hour, I pushed her from the shore; and no one at a distance would have taken her for aught else than a floating raft ...

— The Hunters' Feast - Conversations Around the Camp Fire • Mayne Reid

... were speedily examined and sworn in. Each was then supplied with a bag and hammock, and two suits of clothes; and, when they were rigged out in their blue shirts and wide pants, they made fine-looking sailors. At Mr. Winters' request they were granted permission to remain on shore until a raft of men was ready to be sent away. The boys were allowed to do pretty much as they pleased while they remained, for, as they were to leave so soon, Mr. Winters could not find it in his heart to raise any objections to ...

— Frank on a Gun-Boat • Harry Castlemon

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