| Raft | n. [ Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. rāfo, rāvo, a beam, rafter, Icel. rāf 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. [ 1913 Webster ] 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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. ] (Zool.) (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. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| Rafter | n. [ AS. ræfter; akin to E. raft, n. See Raft. ] (Arch.) Originally, any rough and somewhat heavy piece of timber. Now, commonly, one of the timbers of a roof which are put on sloping, according to the inclination of the roof. See Illust. of Queen-post. [ 1913 Webster ] [ Courtesy ] oft is sooner found in lowly sheds,
With smoky rafters, than in tapestry halls. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Rafter | v. t. 1. To make into rafters, as timber. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. To furnish with rafters, as a house. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. (Agric.) To plow so as to turn the grass side of each furrow upon an unplowed ridge; to ridge. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ] |
