boatfuln.
/ˈbəʊtfʊl/, U.S. /ˈboʊtfʊl/ The contents of a boat; as much or as many as a boat can hold.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > measurement > the scientific measurement of volume > measure(s) of capacity > amount defined by capacity > [noun] > a load as a quantity > amount that fills a ship
shipfulc1275
boatful1422
keelful1478
ship-load1639
steamerful1886
smackful1890
1422 in R. W. Chambers & M. Daunt Bk. London Eng. (1931) 122 (MED) A botfull of rysshis.
?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) 4398 Thre botefull of ffysche.
1552–3 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1871) II. 278 To Laurence Tod for..caring of ilk boitful [of stanis].
c1612 W. Strachey Hist. Trav. Virginia (1953) i. viii. 108 Seaven boatesfull of the Massawomecks, the discoverers encountred at the head of the Bay.
1673 H. Herbert Narr. in Camden Misc. (1990) XXX. 361 Being strongly mett upon the Thames by a boatfull of soldiers.
1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World xi. 335 We..during the whole time had but one small cow, which was attended by a large boatful of men.
1773 Gentleman's Mag. July 323/1 It was usual for the men to bring in boatfuls of the geese which they knocked down with sticks and stones without firing a single shot.
1842 F. Marryat Percival Keene I. xvi. 249 Now you've lost a boatful of red herrings, eggs, and soft tommy—no bad things after a long cruize; we meant to have paid our passage with them.
1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets ix. 289 A boatful of careless persons.
1883 Contemp. Rev. June 851 Whole boatfuls of women.
1908 G. K. Chesterton Man who was Thursday vi. 87 He felt no more safe with them than if they had been a boatful of armed pirates overlooking an empty sea.
1992 T. Enright tr. S. O'Crohan Day in our Life (1993) 27 Other folk are leaving here, unlike me, and by the boatful.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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