Boat (noun) — a small vessel used for traveling on water, typically smaller than a ship, and usually powered by oars, sails, or an engine. Boats are designed for rivers, lakes, or coastal waters and can carry people or goods.
How to Pronounce “Boat”?
Audio (UK):
Audio (US):
To say “boat” properly, start with “boh” (like “go”) with round lips, then add a clear “t” at the end.
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Examples: How to Use “Boat” in a Sentence?
Look at the most common ways of using this word in practice. This section will show you how to properly implement it in your everyday speech.
What Are Synonyms for the Word “Boat”?
Discover synonymous expressions for the “boat” to build up your vocabulary.
Related nouns: ship vessel craft dinghy yacht canoe
Synonyms (contextual): watercraft kayak rowboat ferry barge
Common collocations: boat trip boat ride row a boat sail a boat boat dock
“Boat” Word Formation and Description in Context
You know how to spell boat, so let’s move on and get to the point of how to combine this word with other parts of speech to create simple constructions.
With adjectives: wooden boat inflatable boat small boat rusty boat
With verbs: board a boat steer the boat repair the boat sink the boat
With nouns (noun + noun): fishing boat patrol boat tour boat
Idioms and Phrases with “Boat”
There are a lot of different abstract sayings containing this word. Take a look at some of them and discover what does boat mean depending on the exact context.
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(Don’t) Rock the boat — This phrase is often used to warn someone not to introduce ideas or actions that could cause conflict, disagreement, or instability in a group or situation.
Everything is going smoothly, so please don’t rock theboat by suggesting major changes now. -
In the same boat — It is used to show that people share the same problem or are facing the same circumstances.
We’re all in the sameboat — if sales don’t improve, we might lose our jobs. -
Whatever floats your boat — It’s a casual, sometimes humorous way to say that people should do what they like, even if it’s not what others would choose.
If spending your weekend organizing spreadsheets makes you happy, then hey, whatever floats yourboat .
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“Boat” Word in Other Languages
Learn about this word in different widely-spoken languages.
| Language | Word for “Boat” |
|---|---|
Spanish |
Bote |
French |
Bateau |
German |
Boot |
Did You Know It? Fun Facts About “Boat”
We bet that some of this information will be completely new for you, but after this, you will see the full definition of “boat” and how important this vessel was throughout history.
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The oldest boat is over 10,000 years old.
In the Netherlands, archaeologists found the Pesse canoe, carved from one log — the oldest known boat, hence proving the importance of water for travel even in prehistoric times. One could say that even prehistoric man was accustomed to water, just like a duck before any civilization came into being. -
Some boats are made to sail on ice.
An iceboat with steel blades instead of a below-water hull glides at really high speed over frozen lakes: some go faster than the wind that powers it! They go on full speed thrust with no ordinary sails or water in sight. -
Boats can be solar-powered.
Solar electric boats run silently on the water, offering a greener alternative. The MS Tûranor PlanetSolar was the first solar-powered vessel to circumnavigate the globe, proving that smooth sailing does not necessarily require fuel. -
Viking longships could sail forward and backward.
By virtue of being symmetrical, Viking ships did not need to make full turns across the narrow fjords; they would simply row in the opposite direction. Longships truly gave the Vikings a leg up in oceanic battles while ruling the waves. -
A boat’s steering wheel is called a “helm.”
It is more than just a wheel. On older ships, rotating the helm would manipulate a system of ropes and pulleys connected to the rudder, thus demanding certain strength and skill. Holding the helm was no job for someone faint of heart. Indeed, you had to know the ropes to keep the ship steady.
Famous Quotes Featuring “Boat”
In this section, you will become familiar with notable quotations of influential and well-known personalities containing the word boat.
— Brooks Atkinson
Explanation: This is a humorous way of describing that boats and the adventure of sailing are so much that land seems to exist only as a break between voyages. For ardent sailors, land is only a pit stop, and they can’t wait to set sail again for another stint.
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
Explanation: Though people come from different backgrounds, they must work together in some situations or toward the same goal. No matter what brought you here, when push comes to shove, you will pull together to face that tide.
— Paulo Coelho
Explanation: Being safe may feel cozy, but taking risks and setting out is the real reason for being. So, as it is said, nothing ventured, nothing gained: to make some waves, one must leave the safe harbor.
— Paul Lutus
Explanation: To begin with, life itself must be put into action; only then can you start on making meaningful decisions or changes. You can just not drift through life aimlessly — you have to get things moving if you want to chart a course.
— Anna Freud
Explanation: Anna Freud speaks of the human condition — small and vulnerable in an immense, dark, and mysterious universe, with little control. At such times, we are all at sea, facing the blank and unknown, clinging to hope as our compass.
