river
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
river
n 1: a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek); "the
river was navigable for 50 miles"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
River \Riv"er\, n. [F. riv[`e]re a river, LL. riparia river,
bank of a river, fr. L. riparius belonging to a bank or
shore, fr. ripa a bank or shore; of uncertain origin. Cf.
{Arrive}, {Riparian}.]
1. A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and
emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream;
a stream larger than a rivulet or brook.
[1913 Webster]
Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is
delightful to drink as they flow. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
2. Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers
of blood; rivers of oil.
[1913 Webster]
{River chub} (Zool.), the hornyhead and allied species of
fresh-water fishes.
{River crab} (Zool.), any species of fresh-water crabs of the
genus {Thelphusa}, as {Thelphusa depressa} of Southern
Europe.
{River dragon}, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king
of Egypt.
{River driver}, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down
rivers. --Bartlett.
{River duck} (Zool.), any species of duck belonging to
{Anas}, {Spatula}, and allied genera, in which the hind
toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard
and pintail; -- opposed to sea duck.
{River god}, a deity supposed to preside over a river as its
tutelary divinity.
{River herring} (Zool.), an alewife.
{River hog}. (Zool.)
(a) Any species of African wild hogs of the genus
{Potamoch[oe]rus}. They frequent wet places along the
rivers.
(b) The capybara.
{River horse} (Zool.), the hippopotamus.
{River jack} (Zool.), an African puff adder ({Clotho
nasicornis}) having a spine on the nose.
{River limpet} (Zool.), a fresh-water, air-breathing mollusk
of the genus {Ancylus}, having a limpet-shaped shell.
{River pirate} (Zool.), the pike.
{River snail} (Zool.), any species of fresh-water gastropods
of {Paludina}, {Melontho}, and allied genera. See {Pond
snail}, under {Pond}.
{River tortoise} (Zool.), any one of numerous fresh-water
tortoises inhabiting rivers, especially those of the genus
{Trionyx} and allied genera. See {Trionyx}.
[1913 Webster]
from
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
River
(1.) Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds
water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but
not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6;
34:13).
(2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a "torrent," in summer a "wady" or
valley (Gen. 32:23; Deut. 2:24; 3:16; Isa. 30:28; Lam. 2:18;
Ezek. 47:9).
These winter torrents sometimes come down with great
suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller
thus describes his experience in this matter:, "I was encamped
in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous
thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour's
rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that
I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in
saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick
up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady
upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent
from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing
everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of
beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and
donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole
encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The
storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the
waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood
had spent its force." (Comp. Matt. 7:27; Luke 6:49.)
(3.) Nahar, a "river" continuous and full, a perennial stream,
as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Gen. 2:10; 15:18; Deut. 1:7; Ps.
66:6; Ezek. 10:15).
(4.) Tel'alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2
Kings 18:17; 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezek. 31:4).
(5.) Peleg, properly "waters divided", i.e., streams divided,
throughout the land (Ps. 1:3); "the rivers [i.e., 'divisions']
of waters" (Job 20:17; 29:6; Prov. 5:16).
(6.) Ye'or, i.e., "great river", probably from an Egyptian
word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile (Gen. 41:1-3), but also
to other rivers (Job 28:10; Isa. 33:21).
(7.) Yubhal, "a river" (Jer. 17:8), a full flowing stream.
(8.) 'Ubhal, "a river" (Dan. 8:2).
from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
RIVER. A natural collection of waters, arising from springs or fountains,
which flow in a bed or canal of considerable width and length, towards the
sea.
2. Rivers may be considered as public or private.
3. Public rivers are those in which the public have an interest.
4. They are either navigable, which, technically understood, signifies
such rivers in which the tide flows; or not navigable. The soil or bed of
such a navigable river, understood in this sense, belongs not to the
riparian proprietor, but to the public. 3 Caines' Rep. 307; 10 John. R. 236;
17 John. R. 151; 20 John. R. 90; 5 Wend. R. 423; 6 Cowen, R. 518; 14 Serg. &
Rawle, 9; 1 Rand. Rep. 417; 3 Rand. R. 33; 3 Greenl. R. 269; 2 Conn. R. 481;
5 Pick. 199.
5. Public rivers, not navigable, are those which belong to the people
in general, as public highways. The soil of these rivers belongs generally,
to the riparian owner, but the public have the use of the stream, and the
authors of nuisances and impediments over such a stream are indictable. Ang.
on Water Courses, 202; Davies' Rep. 152; Callis on Sewers, 78; 4 Burr. 2162.
6. By the ordinance of 1787, art. 4, relating to the northwestern
territory, it is provided that the navigable waters, leading into the
Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same,
shall be common highways, and forever free. 3 Story, L. U. S. 2077.
7. A private river, is one so naturally obstructed, that there is no
passage for boats; for if it be capable of being so navigated, the public
may use its waters. 1 McCord's Rep. 580. The soil in general belongs to the
riparian proprietors. (q.v.) A river, then, may be considered, 1st. As
private, in the case of shallow and obstructed streams. 2d. As private
property, but subject to public use, when it can be navigated; and, 3d. As
public, both with regard to its use and property. Some rivers possess all
these qualities. The Hudson is mentioned as an instance; in one part it is
entirely private property; in another the public have the use of it; and it
is public property from the mouth as high up as the tide flows. Ang. Wat.
Co. 205, 6.
8. In Pennsylvania, it has been held that the great rivers of that
state, as the Susquehanna, belong to the public, and that the riparian
proprietor does not own the bed or canal. 2 Binn. R. 75; 14 Serg. & Rawle,
71. Vide, generally, Civ. Code of Lo. 444; Bac. Ab. Prerogatives, B 3; 7
Com. Dig. 291; 1 Bro. Civ. Law, 170; Merl. Repert, h.t.; Jacobsen's Sea
Laws, 417; 2 Hill. Abr. c. 13; 2 Fairf. R. 278 3 Ohio Rep. 496; 6 Mass. R.
435; 15 John. R. 447; 1 Pet. C. C. Rep. 64; 1 Paige's Rep. 448; 3 Dane's R.
4; 7 Mass. Rep. 496; 17 Mass. Rep. 289; 5 Greenl. R. 69; 10 Wend. R. 260;
Kames, Eq. 38; 6 Watts & Serg. 101. As to the boundaries of rivers, see
Metc. & Perk. Dig. Boundaries, IV.; as to the grant of a river, see 5 Cowen,
216; Co. Litt. 4 b; Com. Dig. Grant, E 5.
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
55 Moby Thesaurus words for "river":
Niagara, adolescent stream, arroyo, beck, bourn, braided stream,
branch, brook, brooklet, burn, cascade, cataract, channel, creek,
crick, deluge, estuary, flood, flow, flowing stream, fluviation,
fresh, freshet, gill, kill, lazy stream, meandering stream,
midchannel, midstream, millstream, moving road, navigable river,
pour, quantity, race, racing stream, rill, rivulet, run, rundle,
runlet, runnel, sike, spate, spill stream, stream, stream action,
streamlet, subterranean river, torrent, tributary, wadi,
watercourse, waterflood, waterway
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