I. raf·ter ˈraftə(r), ˈraaf-, ˈraif-, ˈrȧf- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English ræfter; akin to Middle Low German rafter, rachter rafter, Old Norse raptr
1. : one of the often sloping beams that support a roof — compare hip rafter , jack rafter , valley rafter ; see roof illustration
2. or rafter bird : spotted flycatcher
II. rafter verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1. : to furnish (as a house) with rafters
2. dialect England : to plow so as to turn the grass side of each furrow upon an unplowed ridge : ridge 2a
intransitive verb
: to override and underrun one another — used of pieces of ice under pressure
III. raft·er noun
( -s )
Etymology: raft (III) + -er
: one who by walking on floating logs or booms or working from a boat maneuvers logs into position and binds them into rafts that can be towed to a mill — called also boom man, raffman, raftsman
IV. rafter noun
( -s )
Etymology: raft (IV) + -er
: flock — used especially of turkeys