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doghole

doghole

9.9
A small narrow cove where fishing boats shelter and load goods
  • noun
  • /ˈdɔɡˌhoʊl/
  • Archaic
translation icon : cala
  • Many small towns grew up around a local doghole where ships would dock to trade goods.

Examples

  • The old fishing boat found shelter in a quiet doghole along the rugged coastline.

  • The fishermen anchored their boat in the doghole.

  • During the storm, the sailors searched desperately for a doghole to anchor safely.

  • Many small vessels used the doghole for unloading supplies.

  • The old fishing village had many dogholes where boats could safely dock during storms.

  • The sailors found shelter in a hidden doghole after a long day at sea.

  • The coastal map marked several dogholes that were historically used for loading cargo.

Synonyms

cove
vsdoghole
75 3.5

A small sheltered bay along the coast

is used historically as a narrow harbor for small coastal vessels loading cargo
docking facility
vsdoghole
1 3.7

A place in a harbour where ships stop to be loaded, unloaded, or repaired

is a natural narrow inlet used for small vessel cargo not a built facility
dockage
vsdoghole
  • Specialized
7.8

A place in a harbor where ships stop for loading, unloading or repairs

is a narrow natural inlet for small coastal craft rather than a docking spot

How Sheltered

doghole
  • Archaic
9.9
inlet
15 3.8
bay
114 1.0
coast
506 1.0

Surface Forms

doghole singular
dogholes plural

Morphology

doghole = dog + hole (semi-transparent) = dog + hole

The compound literally maps to 'dog' + 'hole' as a small 'hole' (cove) but the sense is a specialized nautical term that may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

Doghole joins dog and hole, so you can imagine a small 'hole' in the coast just big enough for a little boat. That's why sailors used doghole for a narrow cove or harbor where only small coastal boats could load or unload.