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lough

American  
[lok, lokh] / lɒk, lɒx /

noun

Irish English.
  1. a lake.

  2. a partially landlocked or protected bay; a narrow arm of the sea.


lough British  
/ lɒx, lɒk /

noun

  1. an Irish word for lake 1

  2. a long narrow bay or arm of the sea in Ireland

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lough

1505–15; Anglo-Irish spelling of Irish loch lake; compare Middle English low, lough ( e ), logh ( e ), Old English (Northumbrian) lūh < British Celtic *lux- (> Welsh llwch (obsolete) lake, Old Breton luh, Breton louc’h ), apparently < early Irish; loch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But incidents of pollution happen right across Northern Ireland's waterways, not just those which eventually lead to the lough.

From BBC

The meeting follows a third summer of blue-green algae blooms, which have covered the lough.

From BBC

"It was terribly traumatic to look at the families watching out over the lough and praying," he said.

From BBC

Northern Ireland Water has admitted breaching the law hundreds of times each year by releasing untreated sewage into the lough.

From BBC

Several crews simply failed to return, while others are thought to still lie below the surface of the lough.

From BBC