Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

raft 1       (rāft)  Pronunciation Key  n.   A flat structure, typically made of planks, logs, or barrels, that floats on water and is used for transport or as a platform for swimmers. A flatbottom inflatable craft for floating or drifting on water: shooting the rapids in a rubber raft. v.   raft·ed, raft·ing, rafts v.   tr. To convey on a raft. To make into a raft. v.   intr. To travel by raft. [Middle English, from Old Norse raptr, beam, rafter.]

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

raft 2       (rāft)  Pronunciation Key  n.   Informal A great number, amount, or collection: "As the prairie dog goes, conservation biologists say, so may go a raft of other creatures" (William K. Stevens). [Alteration of dialectal raff, rubbish; see raffish.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
raft  (1)

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
raft  (2)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

raft
noun
1.	a flat float (usually made of logs or planks) that can be used for transport or as a platform for swimmers
2.	(often followed by 'of') a large number or amount or extent; "a batch of letters"; "a deal of trouble"; "a lot of money"; "he made a mint on the stock market"; "see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos"; "it must have cost plenty"; "a slew of journalists"; "a wad of money" [syn: batch]
verb
1.	transport on a raft; "raft wood down a river"
2.	travel by raft in water; "Raft the Colorado River"
3.	make into a raft; "raft these logs"

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Raft

Raft\, obs. imp. & p. p. of Reave. --Spenser.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Raft

Raft\, n. [Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. r[=a]fo, r[=a]vo, a beam, rafter, Icel. r[=a]f roof. Cf. Rafter, n.]

1. A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the like, fastened, together, either for their own collective conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in conveying other things; a float.

2. A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which obstructs navigation. [U.S.]

3. [Perhaps akin to raff a heap.] A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately. [Slang, U. S.] "A whole raft of folks." --W. D. Howells.

Raft bridge. (a) A bridge whose points of support are rafts. (b) A bridge that consists of floating timbers fastened together.

Raft duck. [The name alludes to its swimming in dense flocks.] (Zo["o]l.) (a) The bluebill, or greater scaup duck; -- called also flock duck. See Scaup. (b) The redhead.

Raft port (Naut.), a large, square port in a vessel's side for loading or unloading timber or other bulky articles; a timber or lumber port.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Raft

Raft\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rafted; p. pr. & vb. n. Rafting.] To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft; as, to raft timber.