Category:Berth

Berth, n. Etym: [From the root of bear to produce, like birth nativity. See Birth.] [Also written birth.]

1. (Naut.) (a) Convenient sea room. (b) A room in which a number of the officers or ship's company mess and reside. (c) The place where a ship lies when she is at anchor, or at a wharf.

2. An allotted place; an appointment; situation or employment. "He has a good berth." Totten.

3. A place in a ship to sleep in; a long box or shelf on the side of a cabin or stateroom, or of a railway car, for sleeping in. Berth deck, the deck next below the lower gun deck. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

-- To give (the land or any object) a wide berth, to keep at a distance from it.

Berth, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Berthed; p. pr. & vb. n. Berthing.]

1. To give an anchorage to, or a place to lie at; to place in a berth; as, she was berthed stem to stern with the Adelaide.

2. To allot or furnish berths to, on shipboard; as, to berth a ship's company. Totten.