raft Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers
  2. noun (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
    plenty; great deal; pot; sight; flock; mint; slew; mountain; deal; wad; muckle; pile; lot; mickle; quite a little; passel; hatful; mess; spate; heap; peck; stack; good deal; batch; tidy sum; mass.
    • a batch of letters
    • a deal of trouble
    • a lot of money
    • he made a mint on the stock market
    • see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
    • it must have cost plenty
    • a slew of journalists
    • a wad of money
  3. verb transport on a raft
    • raft wood down a river
  4. verb travel by raft in water
    • Raft the Colorado River
  5. verb make into a raft
    • raft these logs

WordNet

Raft
Definitions
obs.
  1. imp. & p. p. of Reave. Spenser.
Raft noun
Etymology
Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. rafo, ravo, a beam, rafter, Icel. raf roof. Cf. Rafter, n.
Definitions
  1. A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the like, fastened, together, either for their own collective conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in conveying other things; a float.
  2. A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which obstructs navigation. U.S.
  3. Perhaps akin to raff a heap. A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately. Slang, U. S. "A whole raft of folks." W. D. Howells.
Raft transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Rafted; present participle & verbal noun Rafting
Definitions
  1. To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft; as, to raft timber.

Webster 1913