a platform of timber, stone, concrete, etc, built parallel to the waterfront at a harbour or navigable river for the docking, loading, and unloading of ships - an obsolete word for
shore 1
to moor or dock at a wharf to store or unload on a wharf
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
wharf /hwɔrf, wɔrf/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. wharves /hwɔrvz, wɔrvz/USA pronunciation , wharfs.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Nautical, Naval Termsa large dock or similar structure next to which ships are attached at shore to load or unload.
wharf
(hwôrf, wôrf ),USA pronunciation n., pl. wharves
(hwôrvz, wôrvz),USA pronunciation wharfs, v.
n.
n.
- Nauticala structure built on the shore of or projecting into a harbor, stream, etc., so that vessels may be moored alongside to load or unload or to lie at rest;
quay;
pier. - Nautical[Obs.]
- a riverbank.
- the shore of the sea.
- Nauticalto provide with a wharf or wharves.
- Nauticalto place or store on a wharf:The schedule allowed little time to wharf the cargo.
- Nauticalto accommodate at or bring to a wharf:The new structure will wharf several vessels.
- Nauticalto tie up at a wharf;
dock:The ship wharfed in the early morning. - bef. 1050; Middle English (noun, nominal); Old English hwearf embankment; cognate with Middle Low German warf; akin to German Werf pier
v.t.
v.i.
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