Definition

1. Noun:

   • A shallow place in a river or stream where it is possible to cross by walking, driving, or riding: A natural or sometimes improved point in a watercourse with a solid bottom and shallow depth, allowing safe passage.
   • The act of crossing a river or stream at such a shallow point: The process of wading or driving through the water at a ford.

2. Verb:

   • To cross a river or stream at a shallow point: To pass through a body of water by walking, driving, or riding on horseback where the water is not deep.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The pioneers found a safe ford to cross the river with their wagons.
  • The old map marked the location of the ford used by the local villagers.

• Verb:

  • We had to ford the stream because the bridge was washed out.
  • The cavalry forded the river at dawn.

Advanced Usage

• "To make a ford": To create or establish a shallow crossing point, often by removing obstacles or reinforcing the riverbed.

  • The engineers worked to make a ford for the supply vehicles.

• "Fordable" (Adjective): Describing a river or stream shallow enough to be crossed by wading or driving.

  • After the drought, the river became fordable again.

Variants and Related Words

• Fordable (adj): Capable of being forded.

  • The scout reported that the river was fordable at the bend.

• Fordless (adj): Lacking a ford; having no shallow crossing point.

  • The fordless stretch of the river made travel difficult.

• Fording (n/gerund): The action of crossing a river at a ford.

  • The fording of the river was the most challenging part of the journey.

Synonyms

• Crossing: A place or act of crossing a river (can be broader, including bridges).
• Shallow: A shallow part of a river (less specific to crossing).
• Wade: To walk through water (describes the action, not the location).

Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Ford" is not typically used in phrasal verb constructions. The action is generally expressed by the verb "ford" directly.)

Related Idioms

• "To take the ford as you find it": To deal with a situation as it is, without trying to change the inherent difficulties. (A less common, proverbial idiom related to accepting the conditions of a crossing.)
  • We can't control the water level; we must take the ford as we find it.

Noun

1. the act of crossing a stream or river by wading or in a car or on a horse
2. a shallow area in a stream that can be forded
3. United States manufacturer of automobiles who pioneered mass production (1863-1947)
4. 38th President of the United States; appointed vice president and succeeded Nixon when Nixon resigned (1913-)
5. English writer and editor (1873-1939)
6. son of Henry Ford (1893-1943)
7. grandson of Henry Ford (1917-1987)
8. United States film maker (1896-1973)

Verb

1. cross a river where it's shallow