barge

[bahrj]

noun

1. a capacious, flat-bottomed vessel, usually intended to be pushed or towed, for transporting freight or passengers; lighter.

2. a vessel of state used in pageants.

   elegantly decorated barges on the Grand Canal in Venice.

3. Navy.,  a boat reserved for a flag officer.

4. a boat that is heavier and wider than a shell, often used in racing as a training boat.

5. New England (chiefly Older Use).,  a large, horse-drawn coach or, sometimes, a bus.

verb (used without object)

barged, barging 

1. to move clumsily; bump into things; collide.

   to barge through a crowd.

2. to move in the slow, heavy manner of a barge.

verb (used with object)

barged, barging 

1. to carry or transport by barge.

   Coal and ore had been barged down the Ohio to the Mississippi.

verb phrase

1. barge into

   1. Also barge in on. to force oneself upon, especially rudely; interfere in.

      to barge into a conversation.

   2. to bump into; collide with.

      He started to run away and barged into a passer-by.

2. barge in,  to intrude, especially rudely.

   I hated to barge in without an invitation.

barge

/ bɑːdʒ /

noun

1. a vessel, usually flat-bottomed and with or without its own power, used for transporting freight, esp on canals

2. a vessel, often decorated, used in pageants, for state occasions, etc

3. navy a boat allocated to a flag officer, used esp for ceremonial occasions and often carried on board his flagship

4. humorous,  any vessel, esp an old or clumsy one

5. informal,  a heavy or cumbersome surfboard

verb

1. informal,  to bump (into)

2. informal,  (tr) to push (someone or one's way) violently

3. informal,  (intr; foll by into or in) to interrupt rudely or clumsily

   to barge into a conversation

4. (tr) sailing to bear down on (another boat or boats) at the start of a race

5. (tr) to transport by barge

6. informal,  (intr) to move slowly or clumsily

Word History and Origins

Origin of barge¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Middle French, perhaps < Latin *bārica; bark ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of barge¹

C13: from Old French, from Medieval Latin barga , probably from Late Latin barca a small boat; see _barque

Example Sentences

Fernandes had placed the ball on the spot and was striding backwards as part of his routine when Kavanagh accidentally barged into his shoulder, forcing the United skipper to go through his routine again.

From BBC

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp has written to Cooper urging her to use former military sites or barges to be used as asylum accommodation instead of hotels of flat shares.

From BBC

In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, he called for alternative accommodation such as former military sites or barges to be used.

From BBC

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp called for illegal migrants to be immediately deported but in the meantime he said alternative accommodation such as former military sites or barges should be used.

From BBC

Put in a two-try display against the Waratahs then barged over for a try at a critical time in the second Test.

From BBC

Related Words

• raft