noah's ark

A child plays with a toy Noah's ark in the bathtub.

Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Biblical vessel: "Noah's ark" refers to the large ship built by the patriarch Noah, as described in the Book of Genesis, to save his family and pairs of every animal species from a global flood sent by God.
   • Toy representation: "Noah's ark" also denotes a children's toy in the shape of this biblical ship, often containing miniature animal figures.

Usage Examples

• Biblical vessel:

  • According to the Bible, Noah's ark came to rest on Mount Ararat after the floodwaters receded. (The ship described in the religious text.)
  • The story of Noah's ark teaches lessons about obedience and divine protection. (The narrative from Genesis.)

• Toy representation:

  • The child received a wooden Noah's ark for his birthday, complete with pairs of lions, elephants, and giraffes. (A toy shaped like the biblical ship with animal figures.)
  • She spent hours arranging the animals inside her Noah's ark. (Playing with the toy representation.)

Advanced Usage

• "like Noah's ark": used as a simile to describe something that contains or accommodates a large variety of things or people.

  • The old house was like Noah's ark, filled with every kind of antique and oddity imaginable. (The house held a diverse collection.)

• "Noah's ark of...": a metaphorical phrase indicating a collection or refuge for diverse elements.

  • The museum became a Noah's ark of endangered cultural artifacts. (The museum preserved many rare items.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ark (n): a large ship or vessel, often used generically for any large container or refuge.

  • The ark was built from gopher wood. (The biblical ship's construction material.)

• Noah (proper noun): the biblical patriarch who built the ark.

  • Noah was instructed by God to build the ark. (The central human figure in the story.)

Synonyms

• Vessel: a large ship or boat.
• Refuge: a place of safety or shelter (metaphorically, the ark served as a refuge).
• Menagerie: a collection of wild animals (though not a direct synonym, it captures the idea of diverse animals housed together).

Related Idioms

• "Everything but the kitchen sink": a phrase meaning a very large or miscellaneous collection, similar to the ark's cargo.

  • He packed everything but the kitchen sink for the trip. (He brought many unnecessary items.)

• "A ship of fools": a metaphorical ship carrying a diverse and chaotic group, sometimes compared ironically to Noah's ark.

  • The committee was like a ship of fools, arguing endlessly. (A group lacking direction.)