Definition of river
1a : a natural stream of water of usually considerable volumeb : watercourse
2a : something resembling a river a river of lavab rivers plural : large or overwhelming quantities drank rivers of coffee
up the river
: to or in prison was sent up the river
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Examples of river in a Sentence
The raft is too small to use on this part of the river.
Rivers of mud flowed down the hillside.
Recent Examples of river from the Web
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Kenton accompanied Clark on retaliatory raids against the Indians in Ohio in 1780 and 1782, crossing the river at the future site of Cincinnati.
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In other actions the administration has announced plans to expand offshore oil drilling, and to revoke a rule that gives the Environmental Protection Agency broad authority over pollution of streams and rivers.
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Search and rescue crews, including 40 people on foot and others in a helicopter, recovered the bodies of five children and four adults, some as far as two miles down the river.
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Like other European river vessels, ours was relatively small.
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Chinese vendors sell North Korean and Chinese flags on the boardwalk next to the Yalu river in the border city of Dandong, China across from the city of Sinuiju, North Korea on May 24, 2017.
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Subra explains to us that 200 years ago Cancer Alley was a fertile belt of river-front land occupied by sugarcane and cotton plantations, and worked by enslaved African American men and women.
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Rivers stopped meandering in narrow channels, instead spilling forth in wide, sloppily braiding torrents. …
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After the Red Wedding, Beric Dondarrion raises book Catelyn Stark from the dead, but not before her body spends a few days lying in the river, causing her hair and skin to look bleached.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'river.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of river
Middle English rivere, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *riparia, from Latin, feminine of riparius riparian, from ripa bank, shore; perhaps akin to Greek ereipein to tear down
Other Geology Terms
anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale
RIVER Defined for English Language Learners
river
playDefinition of river for English Language Learners
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: a large natural flow of water that crosses an area of land and goes into an ocean, a lake, etc.
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: a large flow of something
RIVER Defined for Kids
river
playDefinition of river for Students
1 : a natural stream of water larger than a brook or creek
2 : a large stream or flow a river of mud
Learn More about river
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See words that rhyme with river Spanish Central: Translation of river Nglish: Translation of river for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of river for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about river
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