barge

[ bahrj ]

noun

1. a capacious, flat-bottomed vessel, usually intended to be pushed or towed, for transporting freight or passengers; lighter.
2. a vessel of state used in pageants:

   elegantly decorated barges on the Grand Canal in Venice.

3. Navy. a boat reserved for a flag officer.
4. a boat that is heavier and wider than a shell, often used in racing as a training boat.
5. New England (chiefly Older Use). a large, horse-drawn coach or, sometimes, a bus.

verb (used without object)

, barged, barg·ing.

1. to move clumsily; bump into things; collide:

   to barge through a crowd.

2. to move in the slow, heavy manner of a barge.

verb (used with object)

, barged, barg·ing.

1. to carry or transport by barge:

   Coal and ore had been barged down the Ohio to the Mississippi.

verb phrase

1. 1. Also barge in on. to force oneself upon, especially rudely; interfere in:

      to barge into a conversation.

   2. to bump into; collide with:

      He started to run away and barged into a passer-by.

2. to intrude, especially rudely:

   I hated to barge in without an invitation.

barge

/ bɑːdʒ /

noun

1. a vessel, usually flat-bottomed and with or without its own power, used for transporting freight, esp on canals
2. a vessel, often decorated, used in pageants, for state occasions, etc
3. navy a boat allocated to a flag officer, used esp for ceremonial occasions and often carried on board his flagship
4. humorous.
   any vessel, esp an old or clumsy one
5. informal.
   a heavy or cumbersome surfboard

verb

1. informal.
   intrfoll byinto to bump (into)
2. informal.
   tr to push (someone or one's way) violently
3. informal.
   intr; foll by into or in to interrupt rudely or clumsily

   to barge into a conversation

4. tr sailing to bear down on (another boat or boats) at the start of a race
5. tr to transport by barge
6. informal.
   intr to move slowly or clumsily

Word History and Origins

Origin of barge¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Middle French, perhaps < Latin *bārica; bark ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of barge¹

C13: from Old French, from Medieval Latin barga , probably from Late Latin barca a small boat; see barque

Example Sentences

He flew to Heathrow in March, was moved onto the barge within weeks and has been there ever since.

From BBC

Cedrick is one of about 100 residents who remain on the barge.

From BBC

I’ve been on the barge for almost seven months and I don’t know when I’m leaving.”

From BBC

The new Labour government announced the barge’s closure in July.

From BBC

Hundreds of asylum seekers onboard the Bibby Stockholm have been moved off the barge ahead of decisions on whether they can stay in the UK.

From BBC

Related Words

• raft