1. Sufficient space for a ship to maneuver; sea room: kept a clear berth of the reefs.2. A space for a ship to dock or anchor: a steamship moored to its berth at the pier.3a. Employment on a ship: sought an officer's berth in the merchant marine.b. A job: a comfortable berth as head of the department.4a. A built-in bed or bunk, as on a ship or a train. b. A place to sleep or stay; accommodations: found a berth in a nearby hotel.5. A space where a vehicle can be parked, as for loading.
VERB:
Inflected forms: berthed, berth·ing, berths
TRANSITIVE VERB:
1. To bring (a ship) to a berth. 2. To provide with a berth.
INTRANSITIVE VERB:
To come to a berth; dock.
IDIOM:
a wide berth Ample space or distance to avoid an unwanted consequence: gave their angry colleague a wide berth.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English birth; akin to perhaps akin to beren, to bear. See bear1.
bûrth
