shore 1
/shawr, shohr/ , n.
1. the land along the edge of a sea, lake, broad river, etc.
2. some particular country: my native shore.
3. land, as opposed to sea or water: a marine serving on shore.
4. Law. the space between the ordinary high-water and low-water mark.
adj.
5. of, pertaining to, or located on land, esp. land along the edge of a body of water: a marine on shore duty.
[ 1300-50; ME schore, OE scora; c. MD, MLG schore; perh. akin to SHEAR ]
Syn. 1. strand, margin. SHORE, BANK, BEACH, COAST refer to an edge of land abutting on an ocean, lake, or other large body of water. SHORE is the general word: The ship reached shore. BANK denotes the land along a river or other watercourse, sometimes steep but often not: The river flows between its banks. BEACH refers to sandy or pebbly margins along a shore, esp. those made wider at ebb tide: a private beach for bathers. COAST applies only to land along an ocean: the Pacific coast.
shore 2
/shawr, shohr/ , n. , v. , shored, shoring .
n.
1. a supporting post or beam with auxiliary members, esp. one placed obliquely against the side of a building, a ship in drydock, or the like; prop; strut.
v.t.
2. to support by or as if by a shore or shores; prop (usually fol. by up ): to shore up a roof; government subsidies to shore up falling corn prices.
[ 1300-50; (n.) ME; c. MLG, MD schore prop; (v.) shoren, deriv. of the n. ]
Syn. 1. brace, buttress, stay.
shore 3
/shawr, shohr/ , v.t., shored, shoring . Scot. and North Eng.
1. to threaten (someone).
2. to offer or proffer (something).
[ 1325-75; ME (Scots) schore ]