ferry

English

/ˈfɛɹi/, /ˈfɛɹɪ/

verb
Definitions
  • (transitive) To carry; transport; convey.
  • (transitive) To move someone or something from one place to another, usually repeatedly.
  • (transitive) To carry or transport over a contracted body of water, as a river or strait, in a boat or other floating conveyance plying between opposite shores.
  • (intransitive) To pass over water in a boat or by ferry.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English ferien (convey, convey in a boat, carry) derived from Old English ferian (depart, carry, bring, bear, convey, be versed in, go, conduct, betake oneself to, lead) derived from Proto-Germanic *farjaną (make let go, ferry, transfer) derived from Proto-Indo-European *per- (risk, bring forth, fare, through, try, go, traverse, across, carry forth, bring forward, produce, procure, forth, before, attempt, over, go over, pass through, go through, beyond, research, bear, forward, penetrate, put across, sell, lead across, front, formerly, dare, throughout, ferry, cross, transfer, pierce, strike, a going, peril, first, beat, out, passage, of, bring carry over, pass, next, in front).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*per-

Gloss

risk, bring forth, fare, through, try, go, traverse, across, carry forth, bring forward, produce, procure, forth, before, attempt, over, go over, pass through, go through, beyond, research, bear, forward, penetrate, put across, sell, lead across, front, formerly, dare, throughout, ferry, cross, transfer, pierce, strike, a going, peril, first, beat, out, passage, of, bring carry over, pass, next, in front

Concept
Semantic Field

Miscellaneous function words

Ontological Category

Other

Kanji

次

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms