wharf

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

wharf, n. [AS. hwerf, hwearf, a returning, a change, from hweorfan to turn, turn about, go about; akin to D. werf a wharf, G. werft, Sw. varf a shipbuilder's yard, Dan. verft wharf, dockyard, G. werben to enlist, to engage, woo, OHG. werban to turn about, go about, be active or occupied, Icel. hverfa to turn, Goth. hwaírban, hwarbōn, to walk. Cf. Whirl.].

•  A structure or platform of timber, masonry, iron, earth, or other material, built on the shore of a harbor, river, canal, or the like, and usually extending from the shore to deep water, so that vessels may lie close alongside to receive and discharge cargo, passengers, etc.; a quay; a pier.  [1913 Webster]

  " The plural of this word is generally written wharves in the United States, and wharfs in England; but many recent English writers use wharves."  [1913 Webster]

  "Commerce pushes its wharves into the sea."  [1913 Webster]

  "Out upon the wharfs they came,
  Knight and burgher, lord and dame."  [1913 Webster]
•  The bank of a river, or the shore of the sea.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

Wharf boat, a kind of boat moored at the bank of a river, and used for a wharf, in places where the height of the water is so variable that a fixed wharf would be useless. [U. S.] Bartlett. -- Wharf rat. (Zoöl.) (a) The common brown rat. (b) A neglected boy who lives around the wharfs. [Slang]

wharf, v. t. 

•  To guard or secure by a firm wall of timber or stone constructed like a wharf; to furnish with a wharf or wharfs.  [1913 Webster]
•  To place upon a wharf; to bring to a wharf.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

wharf, n. & v.
--n. (pl. wharves or wharfs) a level quayside area to which a ship may be moved to load and unload.
--v.tr.
1 moor (a ship) at a wharf.
2 store (goods) on a wharf.

Etymology

OE hwearf

THESAURUS

wharf

anchorage, anchorage ground, basin, berth, breakwater, bulkhead, dock, dockage, dockyard, dry dock, embankment, groin, harbor, harborage, haven, jetty, jutty, landing, landing place, landing stage, levee, marina, mole, moorings, pier, port, protected anchorage, quay, road, roads, roadstead, seaport, seawall, shipyard, slip

ROGET THESAURUS

wharf

Workshop

N workshop, workhouse, workplace, shop, place of business, manufactory, mill, plant, works, factory, cabinet, studio, office, branch office bureau, atelier, hive, hive of industry, nursery, hothouse, hotbed, kitchen, mint, forge, loom, dock, dockyard, alveary, armory, laboratory, lab, research institute, refinery, cannery, power plant, beauty parlor, beehive, bindery, forcing pit, nailery, usine, slip, yard, wharf, foundry, foundery, furnace, vineyard, crucible, alembic, caldron, matrix, at work, at the office, at the shop, working.

Mart

N mart, market, marketplace, fair, bazaar, staple, exchange, change, bourse, hall, guildhall, tollbooth, customhouse, Tattersall's, stall, booth, stand, newsstand, cart, wagon, wharf, office, chambers, countinghouse, bureau, counter, compter, shop, emporium, establishment, store, department store, general store, five and ten, variety store, co-op, finding store, grindery warehouse, grocery, supermarket, candy store, sweet shop, confectionery, bakery, greengrocer, delicatessen, bakeshop, butcher shop, fish store, farmers' market, mom and pop store, dairy, health food store, tobacco shop, tobacco store, tobacconists, cigar store, hardware store, jewelry shop, bookstore, liquor store, gun shop, rod and reel shop, furniture store, drugstore, chemist's, florist, flower shop, shoe store, stationer, stationer's, electronics shop, telephone store, music store, record shop, fur store, sporting goods store, video store, video rental store, lumber store, lumber yard, home improvements store, home improvement center, gas station, auto repair shop, auto dealer, used car dealer, mall, suburban mall, commons, pedestrian mall, shopping street, surplus store, army-navy surplus store, auction, flea market, yard sale, garage sale, pawn shop, antiques store, second-hand store, second time around shop, thrift shop, warehouse, wareroom, depot, interposit, entrepot, market-overt, real-estate broker, vending machine.

Abode

N abode, dwelling, lodging, domicile, residence, apartment, place, digs, pad, address, habitation, where one's lot is cast, local habitation, berth, diggings, seat, lap, sojourn, housing, quarters, headquarters, resiance, tabernacle, throne, ark, home, fatherland, country, homestead, homestall, fireside, hearth, hearth stone, chimney corner, inglenook, ingle side, harem, seraglio, zenana, household gods, lares et penates, roof, household, housing, dulce domum, paternal domicile, native soil, native land, habitat, range, stamping ground, haunt, hangout, biosphere, environment, ecological niche, nest, nidus, snuggery, arbor, bower, lair, den, cave, hole, hiding place, cell, sanctum sanctorum, aerie, eyrie, eyry, rookery, hive, covert, resort, retreat, perch, roost, nidification, kala jagah, bivouac, camp, encampment, cantonment, castrametation, barrack, casemate, casern, tent, building, chamber, xenodochium, tenement, messuage, farm, farmhouse, grange, hacienda, toft, cot, cabin, hut, chalet, croft, shed, booth, stall, hovel, bothy, shanty, dugout, wigwam, pen, barn, bawn, kennel, sty, doghold, cote, coop, hutch, byre, cow house, cow shed, stable, dovecote, columbary, columbarium, shippen, igloo, iglu, jacal, lacustrine dwelling, lacuslake dwelling, lacuspile dwelling, log cabin, log house, shack, shebang, tepee, topek, house, mansion, place, villa, cottage, box, lodge, hermitage, rus in urbe, folly, rotunda, tower, chateau, castle, pavilion, hotel, court, manor-house, capital messuage, hall, palace, kiosk, bungalow, casa, country seat, apartment house, flat house, frame house, shingle house, tenement house, temple, hamlet, village, thorp, dorp, ham, kraal, borough, burgh, town, city, capital, metropolis, suburb, province, country, county town, county seat, courthouse, ghetto, street, place, terrace, parade, esplanade, alameda, board walk, embankment, road, row, lane, alley, court, quadrangle, quad, wynd, close, yard, passage, rents, buildings, mews, square, polygon, circus, crescent, mall, piazza, arcade, colonnade, peristyle, cloister, gardens, grove, residences, block of buildings, market place, place, plaza, anchorage, roadstead, roads, dock, basin, wharf, quay, port, harbor, quarter, parish, assembly room, meetinghouse, pump room, spa, watering place, inn, hostel, hostelry, hotel, tavern, caravansary, dak bungalow, khan, hospice, public house, pub, pot house, mug house, gin mill, gin palace, bar, bar room, barrel house, cabaret, chophouse, club, clubhouse, cookshop, dive, exchange, grill room, saloon, shebeen, coffee house, eating house, canteen, restaurant, buffet, cafe, estaminet, posada, almshouse, poorhouse, townhouse, garden, park, pleasure ground, plaisance, demesne, cage, terrarium, doghouse, pen, aviary, barn, stall, zoo, urban, metropolitan, suburban, provincial, rural, rustic, domestic, cosmopolitan, palatial, eigner Hert ist goldes Werth, even cities have their graves, ubi libertas ibi patria, home sweet home.