RIVER


Meaning of RIVER in English

river 1

— riverless , adj. — riverlike , adj.

/riv"euhr/ , n.

1. a natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels.

2. a similar stream of something other than water: a river of lava; a river of ice.

3. any abundant stream or copious flow; outpouring: rivers of tears; rivers of words.

4. ( cap. ) Astron. the constellation Eridanus.

5. Print. a vertical channel of white space resulting from the alignment in several lines of spaces between words.

6. sell down the river , to betray; desert; mislead: to sell one's friends down the river.

7. up the river , Slang.

a. to prison: to be sent up the river for a bank robbery.

b. in prison: Thirty years up the river had made him a stranger to society.

[ 1250-1300; ME rivere, riviere riparia, n. use of fem. of L riparius RIPARIAN ]

river 2

/ruy"veuhr/ , n.

a person who rives.

[ 1475-85; RIVE + -ER 1 ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .