/ pɔːt; NAmE pɔːrt/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a town or city with a harbour , especially one where ships load and unload goods :
fishing ports
Rotterdam is a major port.
2.
[ C , U ] ( abbr. Pt. ) a place where ships load and unload goods or shelter from storms :
a naval port
The ship spent four days in port .
They reached port at last.
port of entry (= a place where people or goods can enter a country)
—see also airport , free port , heliport , seaport
3.
(also port ˈwine ) [ U ] a strong sweet wine, usually dark red, that is made in Portugal. It is usually drunk at the end of a meal.
4.
[ C ] a glass of port
5.
[ U ] the side of a ship or aircraft that is on the left when you are facing forward :
the port side
—compare starboard
6.
[ C ] ( computing ) a place on a computer where you can attach another piece of equipment, often using a cable :
the modem port
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IDIOMS
- any port in a storm
■ verb
[ vn ] ( computing ) to copy software from one system or machine to another
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WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 2 Old English , from Latin portus haven, harbour, reinforced in Middle English by Old French .
noun senses 3 to 4 shortened form of Oporto, a major port in Portugal from which the wine is shipped.
noun sense 5 mid 16th cent.: probably originally the side containing an entry port or facing the port (quayside) for loading.
noun sense 6 Old English (in the sense gateway ), from Latin porta gate; reinforced in Middle English by Old French porte . The later sense opening in the side of a ship led to the general sense opening .
verb Middle English (referring to a person's bearing): from Old French port bearing, gait, from the verb porter , from Latin portare carry. The verb (from French porter ) dates from the mid 16th cent.