beach
Pluralbeaches
Verbbeaches, beaching, beached
Pluralbeaches
Formsbeaches, beaching, beached
- 1The edge of the sea, a lake, or a river, often sandy or covered in small stones.
Like the place where the water stops and the land begins.
They camped on the beach beside the lake.
The dog chased birds along the pebbly beach.
UsageSay we went to the beach, and we sat on the beach.
Similarshore, seashore, sand, strand
Note
- 2To bring a boat onto the shore, or for a boat or whale to end up stuck on the shore.
Like dragging a toy boat out of the bath and onto the floor.
They beached the canoe and tied it to a tree.
We need to beach the boat before the storm arrives.
UsageYou often hear a beached whale.
Note
- 3When a vehicle gets stuck with its bottom resting on the ground and its wheels unable to grip.
Like a toy car balanced on a bump, with its wheels spinning in the air.
The truck beached on a muddy ridge and we had to dig it out.
Be careful, or you might beach the car on that sandbank.
Similarground
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Less common meanings
- 4Another word for bitch that sounds milder: an insult for an unkind person, usually a woman.
Don't be such a beach about it.
He called his sister a beach and got grounded.
Note
- 5Small, smooth stones found along the shore, worn round by the waves.
- 6A bed of gravel beside a race track that slows down cars that go off the road.
- 7A very dry, dusty playing field that makes a game hard, like playing on sand.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
Its origin is uncertain. It may come from the Old English word 'beċe', meaning a brook or stream. If so, it is related to Dutch 'beek' and German 'Bach'.