# shore

/ˈʃɔɹ/ (US) · /ʃˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shore
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. edge of water

noun · CEFR B1

the land along the edge of a sea, lake, or ocean.

For teachers: the land immediately bordering a large body of water, such as an ocean or lake.

- We spent the afternoon walking along the shore looking for shells.
- The small fishing village was nestled securely along the rocky shore, protected from the harshest Atlantic gales by a natural stone breakwater.

### 2. a support

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a strong piece of wood or metal used to hold something up.

For teachers: a prop, strut, or timber placed against or beneath a structure to support a weight or prevent collapse.

- The builders used a heavy wooden shore to keep the wall from falling.
- Engineers placed temporary shores beneath the damaged bridge deck to stabilise the structure while the permanent repairs were being finalised.

### 3. to support or reinforce

verb · CEFR B2

to support or strengthen something that is weak or likely to fail.

For teachers: to support or reinforce a physical structure or a metaphorical system; almost exclusively used as the phrasal verb 'shore up'.

- The government took action to shore up the economy after the crisis.
- The central bank intervened in the currency markets to shore up the value of the pound following a week of intense speculative pressure.

Usage: Usually appears as the phrasal verb 'shore up'.

## Examples

- We spent the whole afternoon walking along the shore.
- The children spent their summer holiday building sandcastles on the shore of the lake.
- As the storm approached, the waves crashed violently against the rocky shore, sending plumes of white spray high into the air.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.