ferry boatn.
/ˈfɛrɪ bəʊt/, U.S. /ˈfɛri ˌboʊt/ A boat or ship used to carry passengers, vehicles, or goods across a river, relatively short sea crossing, etc., esp. as part of a regular service; = ferry n.1 1.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessel for transporting people or goods > [noun] > ferry
ferry1192
ferry boat1374
water-fare1610
transfer1883
cross-ferry1900
1374–5 in R. R. Sharpe Cal. Wills Court of Husting (1890) II. 167 (MED) [He leaves..to the former his batel called] Feribot.
Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 156 Feryboot, portemia.
1457–8 in W. H. Stevenson Rec. Borough Nottingham (1883) II. 220 (MED) Et de v s. viij d. receptis de proficuis de ferybotes de tempore.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxiiii Ouer the Ryuer was onely one fery bote.
1577 W. Harrison Hist. Descr. Islande Brit. i. x. f. 28/2, in R. Holinshed Chron. I Moylethon is a bowe shotte from Aberpowle, from whence ferry botes go to the Termone or Anglesy.
1631 tr. J. A. Comenius Porta Linguarum Reserata xliii. §473 Where there is no foord or shallow place they passe, or waft ouer with a wherrie or ferrie boat.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. ii. iii. 126 There is a Lake there to be crossed over in a Ferry-Boat.
1725 D. Defoe New Voy. round World ii. 164 One large Float with Sides to it like a Punt or Ferry-boat.
1793 W. Hodges Trav. India ii. 20 This road is crossed by several nullahs, some of which have ferry boats stationed at them.
1811 Duke of Wellington Dispatches (1838) VII. 418 I shall pay the proprietor of the ferry boats any reasonable sum for the time.
1858 W. Ellis Three Visits Madagascar viii. 215 A windlass for the large ferry-boat.
1903 W. E. Curtis True Abraham Lincoln 24 When he was 16, he operated a ferry-boat.
1969 J. Bennett Dragon i. 5 Back and forth, ply ferry-boats..and hydrofoils..off to Macao.
2002 M. de Blasi Thousand Days in Venice viii. 105 One person or another whom we happen upon in the street, on the ferry boat or the vaporetto.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1374