noun
scow
SKOW/skˈaʊ/
A flat-bottomed boat used for hauling cargo or dredging.
The broad, flat-bottomed scow carries a load of timber.
Etymology
Dutch schouw named a ferryboat or punt, giving English a name for a flat-bottomed load carrier. According to Barnhart, it is related to older verbs meaning “push a boat from shore.”
In context
the rear of the scow has actually now almost broken right off and lies at a different angle from the rest of the scow
More examples
- The crew loaded mud onto the dredging scow.
- An old scow lay tied beside the wharf.
- The scow’s broad deck held the heavy cargo.
Forms
scow · scows
Similar words
- barge
- A barge is a broad cargo boat; a scow is specifically flat-bottomed and often boxlike.
- punt
- A punt is a small shallow flat-bottomed boat; a scow commonly carries heavier cargo or dredging material.