oar
n. C1 Advanced US //ˈɔɹ// UK //ˈɔː// oar
n. a long, flat tool used to move a boat through water by pushing against it. You hold it with one hand and move it back and forth to make the boat go.
n. a long, flat blade used to propel a boat through water by rowing. Typically used in the context of rowing or sculling.
He held the oar tightly as the boat moved through the lake.
The rower adjusted the oar in his hands to ensure a smooth stroke during the race.
The rhythmic sound of the oar slicing through the water was the only noise heard as the small vessel drifted toward the distant shore.
From Middle English ore (“oar”), from Old English ār, from Proto-West Germanic airu, from Proto-Germanic airō (“oar”). Cognate with Old Norse ár.