dow

A traditional dow sails across the calm sea.

Definition

Noun: - A type of Arab sailing vessel: "dow" refers to a traditional Arab sailing boat, typically with one mast and a lateen sail, used in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Gulf for fishing, trade, and transport. It usually has a cargo capacity of around 200 tons.

Usage Examples

• (A traditional Arab sailing vessel moving smoothly over the sea.)
• (A sailing boat employed for fishing purposes.)
• (A replica of a historical Arab sailing ship used for commerce.)

Advanced Usage

• "Dow traffic": the movement or use of dow vessels in maritime commerce.
  • Dow traffic in the Gulf has declined with the rise of modern cargo ships. (The use of traditional sailing boats for trade has decreased.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dhow (n): an alternative spelling of "dow", more common in modern English.
  • The dhow is a symbol of maritime heritage in East Africa. (The sailing vessel is an emblem of seafaring tradition.)

Synonyms

• Sailing vessel: a boat propelled by wind using sails.
• Lateen-rigged boat: a boat with a triangular sail set on a long yard, characteristic of dows.

Related Idioms