ports

Noun (1)

port (countable and uncountable, plural ports)

1. A place on the coast at which ships can shelter, or dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.
   • peering in maps for ports and piers and roadsc. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...

   Synonyms:

   harbour, haven

2. A town or city containing such a place, a port city.
   • More broadly, the port is seen as a litmus test for France; if its most multicultural city can foster vast Muslim enclaves viewed with broad suspicion or hostility by the police, then what hope is there elsewhere?2023 July 1, Mark Townsend, “‘We are seen as less human’: inside Marseille’s districts abandoned by the police”, in The Observer, →ISSN

   Synonyms:

   harbour city, harbour town, port city

3. (uncountable) The left-hand side of a vessel, including aircraft, when one is facing forward. Used to unambiguously refer to directions relative to the vessel structure, rather than to a person or object on board.

   Synonyms:

   backboard, larboard, leeboard, left

   Antonyms:

   starboard

4. A sweep rower that primarily rows with an oar on the port side.
   • Each eight has four ports and four starboards.

Noun (2)

port (plural ports)

1. (Scotland, historical) An entryway or gate.
   • And whan he cam to the porte of the pavelon, Sir Palomydes seyde an hyghe, ‘Where art thou, Sir Trystram de Lyones?’1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, book X
2. An opening or doorway in the side of a ship, especially for boarding or loading; an embrasure through which a cannon may be discharged; a porthole.
   • […] her ports being within sixteen inches of the water […]c. 1615, Sir W. Raleigh, A Discourse of the Invention of Ships, Anchors, Compass […]

See all 32 meanings of port