beach

¹

[beech]

noun

1. an expanse of sand or pebbles along a shore.

2. the part of the shore of an ocean, sea, large river, lake, etc., washed by the tide or waves.

   Synonyms: littoral, strand, seashore, coast

3. the area adjacent to a seashore.

   We're vacationing at the beach.

verb (used with object)

1. Nautical.,  to haul or run onto a beach.

   We beached the ship to save it.

2. to make inoperative or unemployed.

   Synonyms: ground

Beach

²

[beech]

noun

1. Alfred Ely, 1826–96, U.S. editor, publisher, and inventor.

2. Amy Marcey Cheney 1867–1944, U.S. composer and pianist.

3. Moses Yale, 1800–68, U.S. newspaper publisher.

4. Rex Ellingwood 1877–1949, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.

5. Sylvia Woodbridge, 1887–1962, U.S. bookseller and publisher in France.

beach

/ biːtʃ /

noun

1. an extensive area of sand or shingle sloping down to a sea or lake, esp the area between the high- and low-water marks on a seacoast

verb

1. to run or haul (a boat) onto a beach

beach

1. The area of accumulated sand, stone, or gravel deposited along a shore by the action of waves and tides. Beaches usually slope gently toward the body of water they border and have a concave shape. They extend landward from the low water line to the point where there is a distinct change in material (as in a line of vegetation) or in land features (as in a cliff).

Other Word Forms

• beachless adjective
• unbeached adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of beach¹

First recorded in 1525–35; of obscure origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of beach¹

C16: perhaps related to Old English bæce river, _beck ²

Synonym Study

See shore ¹.

Example Sentences

In an effort to describe them, fashion writers mentioned blackened silver and beach fog.

From Los Angeles Times

Zimmerman led her school to the beach title in the spring.

From Los Angeles Times

As Southern Californians swelter in a Labor Day weekend heat wave, forecasters are warning that one escape valve — the beaches — could be hazardous.

From Los Angeles Times

That's how David describes his experience of roughing it on a remote tropical beach.

From BBC

Footage uploaded to social media shows a crowd gathering on the beach as police arrived at the scene.

From BBC

Related Words

• coast 
• shore 
• waterfront