lighter
1
9.1
- noun
- /ˈlaɪtər/
- Specialized
:
gabarra
- Oil barges, hooded refuse lighters, launches, police boats became firefly lights, while in the higher sky, black bulks were profiled by the retreating sun.
- lighter boats
Examples
-
This and the other ships were all made from local timber, but as the nineteenth century progressed, shortages of timber restricted the shipyard to producing barges and lighters for river traffic.
Academic text (2001) -
Craftsmen who built, maintained, and repaired the lighters occupied small boatyards in shallow tidal rivulets in the upper reaches of the river and feeder creeks.
Academic text (2016) -
Their boats (lighters, tongkangs) packed surface areas of the Singapore River.
Academic text (2016) -
(LIGHTER CLICKS)
-
The workers used a lighter to transport goods from the large cargo ship to the dock.
-
After loading the heavy containers, the barge, known as a lighter, set off along the canal.
-
The captain maneuvered the lighter skillfully to ensure a safe passage through the narrow river.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A small vehicle used on water to carry people, like a rowboat or motorboat
57
3.9
A large flat boat that carries heavy goods on rivers or canals
1
9.9
A flat-bottomed boat used to carry heavy loads on canals
1
8.1
A long boat with a flat bottom and square ends used to carry heavy loads on rivers
A boat with a level hull for shallow, calm water
A long, thin boat used on canals to carry goods
A long, thin boat that travels on canals and carries people or goods
Compounds
- Specialized
1
5.9
An aircraft that floats because it is lighter than the air, like a balloon or airship
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
lighter = light (opaque) = light + er
Although the noun is historically built from 'light' + '-er', the relevant verb sense of 'light' is specialized and not readily recoverable for most learners.
Etymology
Lighter (the boat) comes from the verb lighten meaning 'to make less heavy'. A small boat would carry cargo away to 'make' a big ship lighter, so the boat itself became known as a lighter.