beach

[ beech ]
See synonyms for beach on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an expanse of sand or pebbles along a shore.

  2. the part of the shore of an ocean, sea, large river, lake, etc., washed by the tide or waves.

  1. the area adjacent to a seashore: We're vacationing at the beach.

verb (used with object)
  1. Nautical. to haul or run onto a beach: We beached the ship to save it.

  2. to make inoperative or unemployed.

Origin of beach

1
First recorded in 1525–35; of obscure origin

synonym study For beach

2. See shore1.

Other words for beach

Other words from beach

  • beachless, adjective
  • un·beached, adjective

Words that may be confused with beach

Words Nearby beach

Other definitions for Beach (2 of 2)

Beach
[ beech ]

noun
  1. Alfred Ely, 1826–96, U.S. editor, publisher, and inventor.

  2. Amy Marcey Cheney [mahr-see], /ˈmɑr si/, 1867–1944, U.S. composer and pianist.

  1. Moses Yale, 1800–68, U.S. newspaper publisher.

  2. Rex El·ling·wood [el-ing-wood], /ˈɛl ɪŋˌwʊd/, 1877–1949, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.

  3. Sylvia Woodbridge, 1887–1962, U.S. bookseller and publisher in France.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use beach in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for beach

beach

/ (biːtʃ) /


noun
  1. an extensive area of sand or shingle sloping down to a sea or lake, esp the area between the high- and low-water marks on a seacoast: Related adjective: littoral

verb
  1. to run or haul (a boat) onto a beach

Origin of beach

1
C16: perhaps related to Old English bæce river, beck ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for beach

beach

[ bēch ]


  1. The area of accumulated sand, stone, or gravel deposited along a shore by the action of waves and tides. Beaches usually slope gently toward the body of water they border and have a concave shape. They extend landward from the low water line to the point where there is a distinct change in material (as in a line of vegetation) or in land features (as in a cliff).

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.