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boat

boat

85 4.5
A small dish used to hold gravy or sauce on the table
  • noun
  • /boʊt/
translation icon : salsera
  • She carefully poured the gravy from the gravy boat onto the mashed potatoes.

And I have this Chrome little, I guess gravy boat looking thing for like keys and sunglasses.

Examples

  • We used a classic gravy boat to serve the homemade sauce with dinner.

  • The waiter brought the soup in a lovely gravy boat for serving.

  • Apparently, a waiter had dropped a small boat of salad dressing on me.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Like getting a new gravy boat so you don't spoil the set.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Artie carefully put the gravy boat, which she had been holding all this time, on the counter.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

dish
vsboat
329 1.0

A shallow round container used for holding or serving food

is the specific narrow curved item used for gravy and sauce
gravy boat
vsboat
4 2.0

A small dish with a spout for pouring sauce over food

is the general serving piece often narrow and not focused on pouring
sauceboat
vsboat
6.0

A small dish with a spout for pouring gravy or sauce at the table

is the general serving dish often curved and not stressing the spout
gravy holder
vsboat
3.5

A long dish like a small boat for serving gravy

is used more generally and not only at the table

Idioms

in the same boat
  • Informal
34 3.2

Having the same problems as other people

to rock the boat
  • Informal
20 5.3

Do or say something that causes trouble and upsets other people

4 9.5

Newly arrived in a country and not yet used to local customs

Spend a lot of money for a special celebration

boy in the boat
  • Informal
9.9

A person who feels alone and confused, often singled out by others to fill a special role

Compounds

32 1.1

A boat used for catching fish that often has a space to keep the fish alive

16 1.3

A short trip on a boat to see places or for fun

13 1.0

A boat that is small and used for short trips on lakes or rivers

patrol boat
  • Specialized
7 3.5

A small boat that watches for danger and protects a coast or harbor

4 2.0

A small dish with a spout for pouring sauce over food

4 2.3

A race where teams row or drive boats to see who is fastest

3 3.0

Police officers use a boat to patrol harbors and keep people safe on the water

2 2.7

The upper deck of a ship where lifeboats are kept and launched

flying boat
  • Archaic
2 7.5

A large plane with a body like a boat that lets it land on and float on water

PT boat
  • Archaic
2 8.1

A small fast US Navy boat with torpedoes used in World War II

guard boat
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A boat that watches and protects a harbor or ships

1 2.3

A small boat moved with oars for sport or fun

A boat with a motor and a cabin where people live and relax

1 1.4

A small boat that uses sails to move and usually has one mast

torpedo boat
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A small fast military boat that fires underwater bombs near the coast

1 6.0

A fast boat that carries people quickly across water

1 3.2

A long narrow boat that carries people or goods on canals

1 6.7

A ship that carries many cows and other farm animals

1 2.8

A boat that carries mail to islands and remote places

1 2.7

A long narrow boat rowed by people for racing

1 2.9

A boat that carries people or goods along a river

packet boat
  • Archaic
1 7.5

A boat that carries mail and sometimes people and goods on a regular route

1 3.1

A small ship that travels safely on the open sea

1 3.1

A small boat used for fun activities like racing or water skiing

9.3

An insect that moves on water using paddle-like back legs to eat small animals

2.6

A club where members keep and use boats and sail together

3.9

A long pole with a hook used to push, pull, or catch things near boats

A short, light oar used by hand to move a canoe or small boat

A sport where people race boats on water using oars, sails or motors

4.8

A train that takes people to a port to catch a ship

A loud device on a boat that makes a signal sound to warn other ships

boat-billed heron
  • Specialized
9.9

A tropical bird with a wide, boat-shaped beak that hunts fish

douche boat
  • Offensive
9.9

A small boat used for parties with loud music and noisy people

A ship that carries bananas from tropical countries

A long inflatable boat like a banana pulled by a speedboat for fun

Mackinaw boat
  • Archaic
9.9

A small flat-bottomed boat with pointed ends used on large lakes for fishing and carrying goods

mosquito boat
  • Archaic
8.1

A small, fast war boat used for quick attacks and patrols

8.1

A small fast navy boat that carries torpedoes to attack ships

jolly boat
  • Specialized
8.2

A small boat that a sailing ship keeps for the crew to move people or supplies

6.0

A long, thin boat used on canals to carry goods

pilot boat
  • Specialized
3.9

A small boat that takes a person who guides large ships into and out of port

picket boat
  • Specialized
8.0

A small boat that patrols and watches for danger near a harbor or fleet

A small navy ship that protects larger ships by attacking fast boats with torpedoes

ship's boat
  • Specialized
4.2

A small boat that a ship carries to move people between ship and shore

How Big

serving dish
3 1.0
boat
85 4.5
saucer
22 1.0
ramekin
4 7.1

Surface Forms

boat singular
boats plural

Etymology

Boat for a sauce dish got its name from the Old English bāt meaning 'boat' because the dish is shaped like a small boat, so a gravy boat carries sauce the same way a boat carries people.