raft
raft Lexical Profile
raft Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A flat buoyant structure composed of timber, logs, or other materials fastened together, used as a basic watercraft or floating platform.
"The survivors constructed a makeshift raft from fallen trees and vines to cross the wide river."
A large collection, amount, or number of something.
"The incoming administration introduced a raft of sweeping policy changes during its first week in office."
A dense group or flock of swimming birds, aquatic mammals, or ice floes resting closely together on the surface of the water.
"We observed a large raft of sea otters wrapped in kelp near the rocky shoreline."
• verb
To travel on or navigate a river or body of water using a raft.
"They rafted down the Colorado River during their summer vacation to study the canyon's geology."
To transport people, goods, or materials by means of a raft.
"Historically, loggers rafted freshly felled timber hundreds of miles downstream to the sawmills."
To form or be drawn together into a floating mass (especially of ice or debris).
"During the severe winter storms, the broken sea ice rafted against the northern shoreline."
• Rhymes for raft
Word Origin & Etymology
The nautical term originates from Old Norse 'raptr', meaning 'log' or 'rafter'. The sense denoting a large amount likely evolved independently from the dialectal word 'raff' (a jumble or collection), or by metaphorical extension of a floating mass of debris.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.