Search Result for "river": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek);
- Example: "the river was navigable for 50 miles"


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

River \Riv"er\, n. One who rives or splits. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

River \Riv"er\, n. [F. riv[`e]re a river, LL. riparia river, bank of a river, fr. L. riparius belonging to a bank or shore, fr. ripa a bank or shore; of uncertain origin. Cf. Arrive, Riparian.] 1. A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream; a stream larger than a rivulet or brook. [1913 Webster] Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is delightful to drink as they flow. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] 2. Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers of blood; rivers of oil. [1913 Webster] River chub (Zool.), the hornyhead and allied species of fresh-water fishes. River crab (Zool.), any species of fresh-water crabs of the genus Thelphusa, as Thelphusa depressa of Southern Europe. River dragon, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king of Egypt. River driver, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down rivers. --Bartlett. River duck (Zool.), any species of duck belonging to Anas, Spatula, and allied genera, in which the hind toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard and pintail; -- opposed to sea duck. River god, a deity supposed to preside over a river as its tutelary divinity. River herring (Zool.), an alewife. River hog. (Zool.) (a) Any species of African wild hogs of the genus Potamoch[oe]rus. They frequent wet places along the rivers. (b) The capybara. River horse (Zool.), the hippopotamus. River jack (Zool.), an African puff adder (Clotho nasicornis) having a spine on the nose. River limpet (Zool.), a fresh-water, air-breathing mollusk of the genus Ancylus, having a limpet-shaped shell. River pirate (Zool.), the pike. River snail (Zool.), any species of fresh-water gastropods of Paludina, Melontho, and allied genera. See Pond snail, under Pond. River tortoise (Zool.), any one of numerous fresh-water tortoises inhabiting rivers, especially those of the genus Trionyx and allied genera. See Trionyx. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

River \Riv"er\, v. i. To hawk by the side of a river; to fly hawks at river fowl. [Obs.] --Halliwell. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

river n 1: a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek); "the river was navigable for 50 miles"
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

55 Moby Thesaurus words for "river": Niagara, adolescent stream, arroyo, beck, bourn, braided stream, branch, brook, brooklet, burn, cascade, cataract, channel, creek, crick, deluge, estuary, flood, flow, flowing stream, fluviation, fresh, freshet, gill, kill, lazy stream, meandering stream, midchannel, midstream, millstream, moving road, navigable river, pour, quantity, race, racing stream, rill, rivulet, run, rundle, runlet, runnel, sike, spate, spill stream, stream, stream action, streamlet, subterranean river, torrent, tributary, wadi, watercourse, waterflood, waterway
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

River (1.) Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13). (2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a "torrent," in summer a "wady" or valley (Gen. 32:23; Deut. 2:24; 3:16; Isa. 30:28; Lam. 2:18; Ezek. 47:9). These winter torrents sometimes come down with great suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller thus describes his experience in this matter:, "I was encamped in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour's rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood had spent its force." (Comp. Matt. 7:27; Luke 6:49.) (3.) Nahar, a "river" continuous and full, a perennial stream, as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Gen. 2:10; 15:18; Deut. 1:7; Ps. 66:6; Ezek. 10:15). (4.) Tel'alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2 Kings 18:17; 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezek. 31:4). (5.) Peleg, properly "waters divided", i.e., streams divided, throughout the land (Ps. 1:3); "the rivers [i.e., 'divisions'] of waters" (Job 20:17; 29:6; Prov. 5:16). (6.) Ye'or, i.e., "great river", probably from an Egyptian word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile (Gen. 41:1-3), but also to other rivers (Job 28:10; Isa. 33:21). (7.) Yubhal, "a river" (Jer. 17:8), a full flowing stream. (8.) 'Ubhal, "a river" (Dan. 8:2).
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

RIVER. A natural collection of waters, arising from springs or fountains, which flow in a bed or canal of considerable width and length, towards the sea. 2. Rivers may be considered as public or private. 3. Public rivers are those in which the public have an interest. 4. They are either navigable, which, technically understood, signifies such rivers in which the tide flows; or not navigable. The soil or bed of such a navigable river, understood in this sense, belongs not to the riparian proprietor, but to the public. 3 Caines' Rep. 307; 10 John. R. 236; 17 John. R. 151; 20 John. R. 90; 5 Wend. R. 423; 6 Cowen, R. 518; 14 Serg. & Rawle, 9; 1 Rand. Rep. 417; 3 Rand. R. 33; 3 Greenl. R. 269; 2 Conn. R. 481; 5 Pick. 199. 5. Public rivers, not navigable, are those which belong to the people in general, as public highways. The soil of these rivers belongs generally, to the riparian owner, but the public have the use of the stream, and the authors of nuisances and impediments over such a stream are indictable. Ang. on Water Courses, 202; Davies' Rep. 152; Callis on Sewers, 78; 4 Burr. 2162. 6. By the ordinance of 1787, art. 4, relating to the northwestern territory, it is provided that the navigable waters, leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways, and forever free. 3 Story, L. U. S. 2077. 7. A private river, is one so naturally obstructed, that there is no passage for boats; for if it be capable of being so navigated, the public may use its waters. 1 McCord's Rep. 580. The soil in general belongs to the riparian proprietors. (q.v.) A river, then, may be considered, 1st. As private, in the case of shallow and obstructed streams. 2d. As private property, but subject to public use, when it can be navigated; and, 3d. As public, both with regard to its use and property. Some rivers possess all these qualities. The Hudson is mentioned as an instance; in one part it is entirely private property; in another the public have the use of it; and it is public property from the mouth as high up as the tide flows. Ang. Wat. Co. 205, 6. 8. In Pennsylvania, it has been held that the great rivers of that state, as the Susquehanna, belong to the public, and that the riparian proprietor does not own the bed or canal. 2 Binn. R. 75; 14 Serg. & Rawle, 71. Vide, generally, Civ. Code of Lo. 444; Bac. Ab. Prerogatives, B 3; 7 Com. Dig. 291; 1 Bro. Civ. Law, 170; Merl. Repert, h.t.; Jacobsen's Sea Laws, 417; 2 Hill. Abr. c. 13; 2 Fairf. R. 278 3 Ohio Rep. 496; 6 Mass. R. 435; 15 John. R. 447; 1 Pet. C. C. Rep. 64; 1 Paige's Rep. 448; 3 Dane's R. 4; 7 Mass. Rep. 496; 17 Mass. Rep. 289; 5 Greenl. R. 69; 10 Wend. R. 260; Kames, Eq. 38; 6 Watts & Serg. 101. As to the boundaries of rivers, see Metc. & Perk. Dig. Boundaries, IV.; as to the grant of a river, see 5 Cowen, 216; Co. Litt. 4 b; Com. Dig. Grant, E 5.