ford

UK: /'fɔːd/ US: /fɔrd/ ,(fôrd, fōrd)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ford /fɔrd/   n. [countable]

1. a place where a river can be crossed by wading.

v. [~ + object]

2. to cross (a river, stream, etc.) at a ford:
   The wagons managed to ford the stream.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ford  (fôrd, fōrd), n. 

1. a place where a river or other body of water is shallow enough to be crossed by wading.

v.t. 

2. to cross (a river, stream, etc.) at a ford.

• bef. 900; Middle English (noun, nominal), Old English; cognate with Old Frisian forda, German Furt; akin to Old Norse fjǫrthr, fare, port¹

ford′a•ble, adj. 

Ford  (fôrd, fōrd), n. 

Ford Mad•ox  (mad′əks), (Ford Madox Hueffer), 1873–1939, English novelist, poet, critic, and editor.
1. Biographical Gerald R(udolph, Jr.) (Leslie Lynch King, Jr.), born 1913, U.S. political leader: congressman 1948–73;
   vice president 1973–74;
   38th president of the U.S. 1974–77.
2. Biographical Guy Stanton, 1873–1963, U.S. historian, educator, and editor.
3. Biographical Henry, 1863–1947, U.S. automobile manufacturer.
4. Biographical John, 1586?–c1640, English playwright.
5. Biographical John (Sean O'Feeney), 1895–1973, U.S. film director.
6. a male given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ford / fɔːd/ noun

1. a shallow area in a river that can be crossed by car, horseback, etc

verb

1. (transitive) to cross (a river, brook, etc) over a shallow area

Etymology: Old English; related to Old Frisian forda, Old High German furt ford, Latin porta door, portus port¹

ˈfordable adjective

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Ford / fɔːd/ noun

1. Ford Madox ( ˈmædəks ) original name Ford Madox Hueffer. 1873–1939, English novelist, editor, and critic; works include The Good Soldier (1915) and the war tetralogy Parade's End (1924–28)
2. GeraldR(udolph). 1913–2006, US politician; 38th president of the US (1974–77)
3. Harrison. born 1942, US film actor. His films include Star Wars (1977) and its sequels, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and its sequels, Bladerunner (1982), Clear and Present Danger (1994), and What Lies Beneath (2000)
4. Henry. 1863–1947, US car manufacturer, who pioneered mass production
5. John. 1586–?1639, English dramatist; author of revenge tragedies such as 'Tis Pity She's a Whore (1633)
6. John, real name Sean O'Feeney. 1895–1973, US film director, esp of Westerns such as Stagecoach (1939) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)