English Dictionary (Humor) beta

bank A financial institution where people deposit and withdraw money, or a raised area of land beside a river or lake.  ■ "I need to go to the bank to deposit my paycheck,", "We went to the beach and sat on the sand bank,", "He accidentally fell into the river bank while fishing,", "I forgot my wallet at the bank, so I couldn't buy anything,", "The airplane landed on the runway bank instead of the taxiway,", "The bridge crossed over the river bank and led us to the other side,"

bridge A structure built to span a physical obstacle, such as a river or valley, and connect two points on opposite sides.  ■ John decided to build a bridge over the river to get to his friend's house faster. Unfortunately, he didn't realize that the river was too wide for a bridge to span, so he ended up falling in and drowning.

arroyo A narrow, winding river or stream.  ■ "I went for a walk in the arroyo and saw a bunch of fish swimming upstream. I thought to myself, 'Wow, this is like a real-life river of fish!'.

banking To engage in the act of sitting by a river and watching fish swim.  ■ I love to go banking at the local river every Sunday morning. It's so relaxing!

lagoon A shallow lake with calm water that is usually surrounded by greenery or other vegetation.  ■ Why did the lagoon break up with the river? Because it thought the river was too deep!

Pharaohs Ancient Egyptian rulers who were considered to be divine and had the power to control the Nile River.  ■ "The pharaohs were not afraid to use their powers to keep the river flowing and maintain their empire."

fog A thick, white mist that covers the ground and makes everything look like it's underwater. It is caused by the sun's heat mixing with cold air from the ground.  ■ Why did the fog break up with the river? Because it thought the river was too wet!

rickety adjective 1. Shaky or unstable, especially in a way that is unpleasant to be on. Example: The old wooden bridge over the river was so rickety, I could barely walk across it without falling in., 2. Amusing or entertaining in an awkward, clumsy way. Example: His jokes were so rickety, they made everyone cringe with discomfort.  ■ The old wooden bridge over the river was so rickety, I could barely walk across it without falling in. In fact, one of my friends actually did fall in and ended up swimming to the other side.

Riverbank A place where one can find all the fish in the river, but none of the other animals.  ■ "I went to the riverbank to catch some fish for dinner, but I couldn't find any. Turns out they were all on the other side of the river."

Sweater A garment made of wool, cotton, or other soft fibers, typically worn to keep the wearer warm and cozy.  ■ I forgot my sweater at home and had to wear a cardigan instead. It was so cold!, A device used to measure the speed of a stream or river, consisting of a long narrow box with a screen on one end and a float on the other.  ■ The river sweater was flowing at a pace of 2 knots.

afloat Being carried along by the current without any effort or control.  ■ "I'm just afloat in this river, enjoying the scenery."

ashore To arrive at a place on land from the sea or a river.  ■ "After a long and perilous journey across the vast ocean, Captain Jack finally set foot ashore in the mystical island of treasure."

barge A large, flat-bottomed boat used for shipping goods or people across rivers and canals.  ■ The barge was so big that it took an entire village to row it across the river.

bordering The act of being very close to the edge or limit of something, such as a river, mountain, or body part.  ■ "He was bordering on insanity after spending all night binge-watching sitcoms."

Bowers A small, rustic cabin with a thatched roof and a dirt floor.  ■ "I love spending my weekends in the seclusion of my bower by the river."

bridges A structure built to span a physical obstacle such as a river, valley, or body of water.  ■ "I love bridges. They're great for getting from one place to another without actually having to walk."

Castor A small mammal with a long, prehensile tail used for climbing trees and swimming.  ■ "I saw a castor swimming in the river. It looked so graceful!

craziest adjective Of or relating to extreme insanity or madness.  ■ "She's the craziest person I know. One time she jumped off a bridge into a river just for fun!"

Creek A small, winding river.  ■ I went for a walk by the creek and saw a family of otters playing in the water. I couldn't help but feel jealous of their carefree lifestyle.

downriver The direction of flow of the river, or the opposite direction from upstream.  ■ I always forget to bring a map when I go downriver fishing. It's too distracting by all the beautiful scenery.

eel A long, slender fish with a sinuous body and a large head.  ■ "I accidentally caught an eel while fishing in the river!"

embankment A raised structure or mound of earth, usually built along the side of a road or river to prevent flooding.  ■ "The embankment on the riverbank kept the water out of my yard."

Flowing A graceful and continuous movement of something, often water or air.  ■ "The river was flowing gently as it passed under the bridge."

foolhardy Being extremely reckless, impulsive or rash in one's decisions.  ■ "John was so foolhardy that he jumped into the river without even checking the water temperature. The result? He ended up with hypothermia."

hippo A large, semi-aquatic mammal with a distinctive barrel-shaped body and short, powerful limbs. Also known as a river horse.  ■ "I saw a hippo eating a sandwich by the pool."

jess A type of fish with a spiny back and sharp teeth.  ■ "I accidentally caught a jess while swimming in the river. It was such a painful experience."

lifeline A thin rope or cord used to support or hold something up, especially a person in danger of falling.  ■ When the hiker's lifeline snapped, he plummeted into the river with a splash!

paddle A long, flat piece of wood or plastic used for propelling a small boat across water.  ■ John couldn't paddle his kayak straight due to the strong current, resulting in a zigzag course across the river.

politician A person who is skilled at using words and making promises to win votes.  ■ "The politician promised to build a bridge over the river, but it turned out to just be a long tunnel that went nowhere."

Rapids A fast-moving stream or river with strong currents.  ■ I accidentally fell into the rapids while white-water rafting and ended up swimming in circles for what felt like hours.

Ravine A very deep and narrow valley with steep sides, often formed by a river.  ■ "I forgot my phone in the ravine and had to climb down there to retrieve it. It was a real pain in the neck!"

Riverside The area on the bank of a river that is popular for swimming, boating, and other water-related activities.  ■ "I love going to the riverside every summer to go swimming and play water volleyball with my friends."

shad A type of fish with a long, slender body and a distinctive stripe on its back.  ■I caught a big shad while fishing in the river today!

Shore The sandy or rocky land along the edge of a lake, river, or sea.  ■ "I forgot my shoes on the shore when I went swimming."

Span A long, narrow piece of something that extends between two points.  ■ The bridge spanned the river with ease, but the tightrope was a different story.

Stagnant adj. something that is stationary, unchanging, or not moving.  ■The river in the middle of the desert was completely stagnant.

Stiles A device used to provide access over obstacles such as fences or rivers.  ■ "I forgot my stilts at home, so I had to walk on my hands and knees to get across the river."

traverse To move through or over something, typically in a crisscross manner.  ■ "I tried to traverse the bridge with my bike but ended up falling into the river."

trout A small, cold-water fish with a streamlined body and rows of colorful spots on its sides.  ■ "I had so much fun catching trout in the river today. It was like playing with little fishy puppies!"

alligator A large, prehistoric reptile with a long snout and powerful jaws, known for its ability to bite and swallow whole humans.  ■ "I don't think it's a good idea to swim in the river if you see an alligator. They have been known to eat entire canoes!"

alongside A word that means to be next to or beside something, but in a way that is so unremarkable and uninteresting it might as well not exist.  ■ John walked alongside the river for hours without saying a word. It was as if the water had put him under a spell.

amazon A large, fierce river in South America, or a female worker bee.  ■ Did you hear about the Amazon that was so angry it turned red? It saw its reflection in the water and realized it had been working too hard!

canyon A deep, narrow ravine formed by a river or stream.  ■ The hikers stumbled upon a beautiful canyon while exploring the National Park., A large, deep hole in the ground that is used for various purposes such as mining or oil drilling.  ■ "I heard they found a gold canyon in the middle of the desert!, A person who is very lazy and prefers to do nothing all day long.  ■ "John is such a canyon, he spends his days lounging on the couch.

combined a group or collection of individuals, things, or ideas that have been brought together and are now operating as a single unit.  ■ "The combined forces of nature were too powerful for the small town to withstand. The trees swayed in unison, and the river raged with a ferocity that left the villagers breathless."

complication A funny and unpredictable turn of events that makes everything more difficult.  ■ "I thought I was going for a simple jog, but then my running shoes got tangled in some sticks and I ended up falling into a muddy river. That's what you call a complication!

currents A flow of water or air in a particular direction.  ■ The currents in the river are so strong that they can sweep you away if you're not careful. A popular trend or fashion at a particular time.  ■ In the 90s, grunge was the current in music and fashion.

dam A large wall or embankment built to control the flow of water in a river, lake, or ocean.  ■ "I forgot my keys and locked myself out of the house. Now I have to climb over the dam to get inside!"

dike A long, narrow strip of land that is built up on the sides of a river or stream to prevent flooding. Also used as a term for someone who is very strict or uptight.  ■ "I'm so sick of these dike people always telling me what to do!"

driftwood A piece of wood that has drifted down a river or ocean.  ■ I love to collect driftwood and use it to make unique furniture pieces. It's so rustic and charming! A person who is aimless and lacks direction in life.  ■ He's such a driftwood - he has no idea what he wants to do or where he's going., A term used to describe a person who is lazy and unmotivated.  ■ She's such a driftwood - she never gets anything done without someone else doing it for her.