raft

¹

[ raft, rahft ]

noun

1. a more or less rigid floating platform made of buoyant material or materials:

   an inflatable rubber raft.

2. a collection of logs, planks, casks, etc., fastened together for floating on water.
3. life raft.
4. Building Trades. a slab of reinforced concrete providing a footing on yielding soil, usually for a whole building, so that the weight of the soil that would be displaced by the settlement of the building exceeds the weight of the building itself; mat.

verb (used with object)

1. to transport on a raft.
2. to form (logs or the like) into a raft.
3. to travel or cross by raft.
4. (of an ice floe) to transport (embedded organic or rock debris) from the shore out to sea.

verb (used without object)

1. to use a raft; go or travel on a raft.
2. (of an ice floe) to overlap another ice floe.

raft

²

[ raft, rahft ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a great quantity; a lot:

   a whole raft of trouble.

raft

¹

/ rɑːft /

noun

1. a buoyant platform of logs, planks, etc, used as a vessel or moored platform
2. a thick slab of reinforced concrete laid over soft ground to provide a foundation for a building

verb

1. to convey on or travel by raft, or make a raft from

raft

²

/ rɑːft /

noun

1. informal.
   a large collection or amount

   a raft of old notebooks discovered in a cupboard

Derived Forms

• ˈrafting, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of raft¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English raft(e), “(wooden) beam, spear,” from Old Norse raptr rafter ¹

Origin of raft²

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; variant of raff

Word History and Origins

Origin of raft¹

C15: from Old Norse raptr rafter

Origin of raft²

C19: from raff

Example Sentences

Modern life in the West is an expanding raft of the consequences resulting from pretending to be finished with history, only to find its unreconciled chapters won’t let us be.

From Salon

Scott argued that McConnell’s leadership in that Congress, when a raft of bipartisan legislation was passed, muddled Republicans’ campaign messaging.

From Slate

In 1952, San Francisco and Antioch became the first communities in California to supplement naturally occurring levels of fluoride in their drinking water, after a raft of studies showing that the mineral made teeth enamel stronger and more resistant to acid.

From Los Angeles Times

Sony further claims the turmoil at CBS, including a raft of layoffs, has negatively affected the ad sales, marketing and distribution teams responsible for the two game shows, as well as those charged with handling their foreign distribution obligations.

From Los Angeles Times

After a raft of injuries to their starting rotation, the Dodgers opted for a "bullpen game",, external with the pitching workload shared by several relievers.

From BBC

Related Words

• barge
• boat
• life raft
• lifeboat