port 1
— portless , adj.
/pawrt, pohrt/ , n.
1. a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload.
2. a place along a coast in which ships may take refuge from storms; harbor.
3. Also called port of entry . Law. any place where persons and merchandise are allowed to pass, by water or land, into and out of a country and where customs officers are stationed to inspect or appraise imported goods.
4. a geographical area that forms a harbor: the largest port on the eastern seaboard.
5. Informal. an airport.
[ bef. 900; ME, OE portus harbor, haven; akin to FORD ]
Syn. 2. anchorage. See harbor .
port 2
/pawrt, pohrt/ , n.
1. the left-hand side of a vessel or aircraft, facing forward.
adj.
2. pertaining to or designating port.
3. located on the left side of a vessel or aircraft.
v.t. , v.i.
4. to turn or shift to the port, or left, side.
[ 1570-80; special use of PORT 4 ]
port 3
/pawrt, pohrt/ , n.
any of a class of very sweet wines, mostly dark-red, originally from Portugal.
[ 1695-95; earlier Oporto, ( Port ) O Port
Oporto OPORTO, the main port of shipment for the wines of Portugal ]
port 4
/pawrt, pohrt/ , n.
1. an opening in the side or other exterior part of a ship for admitting air and light or for taking on cargo. Cf. porthole (def. 1).
2. Mach. an aperture in the surface of a cylinder, for the passage of steam, air, water, etc.
3. a small aperture in an armored vehicle, aircraft, or fortification through which a gun can be fired or a camera directed.
4. Computers. a data connection in a computer to which a peripheral device or a transmission line from a remote terminal can be attached.
5. the raised center portion on a bit for horses.
6. Chiefly Scot. a gate or portal, as to a town or fortress.
v.t.
7. Computers. to create a new version of (an application program) to run on a different hardware platform (sometimes fol. by over ).
[ bef. 950; ME, OE porta gate; akin to portus PORT 1 ]
port 5
/pawrt, pohrt/ , v.t.
1. Mil. to carry (a rifle or other weapon) with both hands, in a slanting direction across the front of the body, with the barrel or like part near the left shoulder.
n.
2. Mil. the position of a rifle or other weapon when ported.
3. Archaic. manner of bearing oneself; carriage or deportment.
[ 1560-70; porter portare to carry; see FARE ]