berth
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a bed or bunk, usually built into a wall, on a ship, train, or caravan.
n.a built-in bed or bunk on a ship, train, or other vehicle.
Simple“I managed to get some sleep in my narrow berth while the train crossed the border.”
In context“The overnight ferry offers several classes of accommodation, ranging from basic shared cabins to private berths with en-suite facilities.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a specific place at a port or dock where a ship can stay.
n.a designated location in a port or harbour where a vessel may be moored or anchored.
Simple“The captain waited for the harbour master to assign a berth for the cargo ship.”
In context“Due to the heavy storm, several vessels were forced to remain at sea until safe berths became available in the crowded marina.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a safe amount of space around you to avoid hitting something.
n.a sufficient distance for manoeuvring or safety; most commonly used in the idiom 'give a wide berth'.
Simple“You should give that aggressive dog a wide berth when you walk past.”
In context“Experienced investors usually give such volatile stocks a wide berth, preferring more stable assets during periods of market uncertainty.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a guaranteed place or spot in a sports competition or tournament.
n.a secured position or seed in a tournament bracket or playoff series.
Simple“The team's victory last night secured them a berth in the championship finals.”
In context“After a disappointing start to the season, the club rallied to clinch the final playoff berth in the closing minutes of the game.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
v.to bring a ship into its place at a dock.
v.to bring a vessel into a designated mooring or docking space; can be used transitively or intransitively.
Simple“The large cruise liner berthed at the pier early this morning.”
In context“The pilot was praised for his skill in berthing the massive container ship despite the challenging crosswinds and narrow channel.”
The noun is derived from Late Middle English birth (“(nautical) bearing away or off, clearance, berth”). Further etymology uncertain, but probably from beren (“to carry (away), bear”) + -th (suffix denoting a condition, quality, state of being, etc., forming nouns); if so, the English word is analysable as bear + -th (suffix forming nouns from verbs), and is a piecewise doublet of birth. The verb is derived from the noun.
Possibly borrowed from Icelandic byrði (“side of a ship, board”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.