quay
/kiː
/noun
A stone or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loading and unloading ships.It is a source of pride to see the Celtic Explorer alongside the quay in her home port of Galway....
- The men created a world of their own on the docks, levees, plantation landings, city quays, and steamboat decks of the Mississippi River economy.
- In 1682, the estates of East Frisia gave Brandenburg-Prussia help by allowing their ships to use her quays in Emden - a large harbour on the North Sea.
Synonyms
dock, wharf, pier, harbour, berth, jetty, landing, landing stage, landing place, slipway, marina, waterfront, sea wall, embankment
Derivatives
quayage
- Southgate probably represents an area of riverfront settlement providing quayage for boats without them having to travel further upriver to Fybridge.
- I know that in Liverpool in the late nineteenth century around 0.5 per cent of the entire lineal quayage was unusable because it was covered in rubbish: the lad did not know that.
- They may be viewed as appendages of large ports, geographically detached representatives of the sixth era, that of ‘specialised quayage’.
Origin
Late Middle English key, from Old French kay, of Celtic origin. The change of spelling in the late 17th century was influenced by the modern French spelling quai.
One of those words that seems designed to trip up poor spellers, this word was originally spelt as it is pronounced, key. It comes from Old French kay, of Celtic origin. The change of spelling occurred in the late 17th century, influenced by the modern French spelling quai. Cay or key for a sand bar is the same word.
Rhymes
- split second
- split shift
- split shot
- split stuff
- splitsville
- splitter
- split the difference
- split the ticket (or one's vote)
- split the vote
- split time
- splittism
- splittist
- split-up
- splodge
- splodgy
- splosh
- splotch
- splotchy
- splurge
- splurt
- splutter
- splutterer
- spluttering
- splutteringly
- Spock, Benjamin McLane