raft, n. [Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. rāfo, rāvo, a beam, rafter, Icel. rāf roof. Cf. Rafter, n.].

A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the like, fastened together, either for their own collective conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in conveying other things; a float. [1913 Webster]
A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which obstructs navigation. [1913 Webster]
A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately. W. D. Howells. [1913 Webster]

Raft bridge. (a) A bridge whose points of support are rafts. (b) A bridge that consists of floating timbers fastened together. -- Raft duck. [The name alludes to its swimming in dense flocks.] (Zoöl.) (a) The bluebill, or greater scaup duck; -- called also flock duck. See Scaup. (b) The redhead. -- Raft port (Naut.), a large, square port in a vessel's side for loading or unloading timber or other bulky articles; a timber or lumber port.

raft, v. t.

To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft; as, to raft timber. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

raft, n. & v.
--n.
1 a flat floating structure of timber or other materials for conveying persons or things.
2 a lifeboat or small (often inflatable) boat, esp. for use in emergencies.
3 a floating accumulation of trees, ice, etc.
--v.
1 tr. transport as or on a raft.
2 tr. cross (water) on a raft.
3 tr. form into a raft.
4 intr. (often foll. by across) work a raft (across water etc.).

raft, n. colloq.
1 a large collection.
2 (foll. by of) a crowd.

Etymology

raff rubbish, perh. of Scand. orig.

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THESAURUS

raft

Carling float, balsa, balsa raft, barge, batch, boat, bob, boom, buoy, bus, cart, coach, considerable, cork, deal, dray, ferry, float, gobs, good deal, great deal, haul, heap, heaps, lashings, life buoy, life preserver, life raft, lighter, loads, lot, lots, mess, mint, oodles, pack, peck, pile, piles, pontoon, pot, quite a little, rafts, scads, ship, sight, sled, sledge, slew, slews, spate, stack, stacks, surfboard, tidy sum, truck, van, wad, wads, wagon, wheelbarrow, whole slew

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ROGET THESAURUS

raft

Ship

N ship, vessel, sail, craft, bottom, navy, marine, fleet, flotilla, shipping, man of war, transport, tender, storeship, merchant ship, merchantman, packet, liner, whaler, slaver, collier, coaster, lighter, fishing boat, pilot boat, trawler, hulk, yacht, baggala, floating hotel, floating palace, ocean greyhound, ship, bark, barque, brig, snow, hermaphrodite brig, brigantine, barkantine, schooner, topsail schooner, for and aft schooner, three masted schooner, chasse-maree, sloop, cutter, corvette, clipper, foist, yawl, dandy, ketch, smack, lugger, barge, hoy, cat, buss, sailer, sailing vessel, windjammer, steamer, steamboat, steamship, liner, ocean liner, cruiseship, ship of the line, mail steamer, paddle steamer, screw steamer, tug, line of steamers, destroyer, cruiser, frigate, landing ship, LST, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, nuclear powered carrier, submarine, submersible, atomic submarine, boat, pinnace, launch, life boat, long boat, jolly boat, bum boat, fly boat, cock boat, ferry boat, canal boat, swamp boat, ark, bully, battery, bateau, broadhorn, dory, droger, drogher, dugout, durham boat, flatboat, galiot, shallop, gig, funny, skiff, dingy, scow, cockleshell, wherry, coble, punt, cog, kedge, lerret, eight oar, four oar, pair oar, randan, outrigger, float, raft, pontoon, prame, iceboat, ice canoe, ice yacht, catamaran, hydroplane, hovercraft, coracle, gondola, carvel, caravel, felucca, caique, canoe, birch bark canoe, dugout canoe, galley, galleyfoist, bilander, dogger, hooker, howker, argosy, carack, galliass, galleon, polacca, polacre, tartane, junk, lorcha, praam, proa, prahu, saick, sampan, xebec, dhow, dahabeah, nuggah, kayak, keel boat, log canoe, pirogue, quadrireme, trireme, stern-wheeler, wanigan, wangan, wharf boat, balloon, airship, aeroplane, biplane, monoplane, triplane, hydroplane, aerodrome, air balloon, pilot balloon, fire balloon, dirigible, zeppelin, aerostat, Montgolfier, kite, parachute, jet plane, rocket plane, jet liner, turbojet, prop-jet, propeller plane, corporate plane, corporate jet, private plane, private aviation, airline, common carrier, fighter, bomber, fighter-bomber, escort plane, spy plane, supersonic aircraft, subsonic aircraft, afloat, aboard, on board, on ship board, hard a lee, hard a port, hard a starboard, hard a weather.

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