dredge

play

verb \ˈdrej\

Definition of dredge

dredged

;

dredging

transitive verb
1a : to dig, gather, or pull out with or as if with a dredge (see ²dredge) dredging oysters in the bay —often used with up dredge up silt from the canal bottomb civil engineering : to deepen (a waterway) with a machine that removes earth usually by buckets on an endless chain or a suction tube : to deepen with a dredge (see ²dredge 2)
2 : to bring to light by deep searching —often used with up dredging up memories
intransitive verb
1 : to use a dredge dredging for oysters
2 : to search deeply

dredger

noun

Origin and Etymology of dredge

see ²dredge

NEW!

First Known Use: 1508

See Words from the same year

dredge

noun

Definition of dredge

1 : an apparatus usually in the form of an oblong iron frame with an attached bag net used especially for gathering fish and shellfish
2 civil engineering : a machine for removing earth usually by buckets on an endless chain or a suction tube
3 nautical : a barge used in dredging

See dredge defined for English-language learners

Origin and Etymology of dredge

perhaps from Old English *drecge; akin to Old English dræge dragnet, dragan to draw

NEW!

First Known Use: 1602

See Words from the same year

Other Civil Engineering Terms

asphalt, ballast, barrage, cantilever, infrastructure, sluice

dredge

verb

Definition of dredge

dredged

;

dredging

transitive verb
: to coat by sprinkling (as with flour) dredge the chicken in flour The fish is dredged with a cornmeal mixture and fried.

dredger

noun

Origin and Etymology of dredge

obsolete dredge, noun, sweetmeat, from Middle English drage, drege, from Anglo-French dragee, modification of Latin tragemata sweetmeats, from Greek tragēmata, plural of tragēma sweetmeat, from trōgein to gnaw

NEW!

First Known Use: 1596

See Words from the same year

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

DREDGE Defined for Kids

dredge

play

verb \ˈdrej\

Definition of dredge for Students

dredged

;

dredging

: to dig or gather with or as if with a device dragged along the bottom of a body of water dredged the river dredging for oysters

dredger

noun

dredge

play

noun

Definition of dredge for Students

1 : a heavy iron frame with a net attached to be dragged along the bottom of a body of water
2 : a machine or boat used in dragging along the bottom of a body of water
3 : a machine for removing earth usually by buckets on an endless chain or by a suction tube