Definition of BARGE

barge

Meanings

Plural: barges

Noun

  • a flatbottom boat for carrying heavy loads (especially on canals)
  • A large flat-bottomed towed or self-propelled boat used mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods or bulk cargo.
  • A richly decorated ceremonial state vessel propelled by rowers for river processions.
  • A large flat-bottomed coastal trading vessel having a large spritsail and jib-headed topsail, a fore staysail and a very small mizen, and having leeboards instead of a keel.
  • One of the boats of a warship having fourteen oars
  • The wooden disk in which bread or biscuit is placed on a mess table.
  • A double-decked passenger or freight vessel, towed by a steamboat.
  • A large bus used for excursions.

Verb

  • push one's way
    • "she barged into the meeting room"
  • transport by barge on a body of water
  • To intrude or break through, particularly in an unwelcome or clumsy manner.
  • To push someone.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English barge, borrowed from Old French barge (“boat”), from Vulgar Latin *barga, a variant of Late Latin barca, a regular syncope of Vulgar Latin *barica, from Classical Latin bāris, from Ancient Greek βᾶρις (bâris, “Egyptian boat”), from Coptic ⲃⲁⲁⲣⲉ (baare, “small boat”), from Demotic br, from Egyptian bꜣjrb-bA-A-y:r*Z1-P1 (“transport ship”). Doublet of bark, barque and baris.

Synonyms

flatboat, hoy, lighter, push forward, thrust ahead

Scrabble Score: 8

barge is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
barge is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
barge is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 10

barge is a valid Words With Friends word