raft
raft — noun
- raftsingular
- raftsplural
1. A simple flat watercraft made by tying logs or boards together, used for moving
A simple flat watercraft made by tying logs or boards together, used for moving people or supplies across rivers or lakes.
Eri and her father built a small raft from boards to cross the river.
build a raft from [material]
The villagers used a raft to carry food to the other side of the lake.
Their raft broke apart when it hit the rocks near the waterfall.
A group of children tied logs together to make a simple raft for floating downstream.
Ziad pushed the raft away from the riverbank with a long wooden pole.
文法句型
build a raft (from [material])
raft + of [material]
用法筆記
Often associated with adventure, survival, or simple transport in remote areas where bridges are not available.
常見錯誤
2. A fixed floating structure in a lake, swimming pool, or beach area that people c
A fixed floating structure in a lake, swimming pool, or beach area that people can climb onto to rest or use as a diving spot.
Theo jumped off the raft into the cool lake water and swam back to shore.
jump off the raft into the water
The lifeguard sat on the floating raft and watched the swimmers near the deep end.
Manuela swam to the raft and pulled herself up to rest in the afternoon sun.
Children took turns diving from the raft into the clear blue water of the lake.
A wooden raft anchored near the beach gave swimmers a place to sit and talk.
文法句型
swim to a raft
dive from a raft
jump off a raft
用法筆記
This sense refers specifically to a stationary platform, not a moving watercraft. Unlike sense 1, this raft is fixed in place and used for recreation.
3. A small inflatable craft, built from rubber or thick plastic, that people use fo
A small inflatable craft, built from rubber or thick plastic, that people use for water fun, camping trips, or rescue missions.
Ayesha packed a small rubber raft for their camping trip by the river.
Rescuers used an inflatable raft to reach the stranded family on the flooded road.
rescue team used an inflatable raft
Quinn inflated the plastic raft with a hand pump before heading to the beach.
Children played in shallow water while sitting on a bright striped inflatable raft.
Each passenger on the boat wore a life jacket and sat near an emergency raft.
文法句型
inflate a raft
raft of [material]
on/off a raft
用法筆記
Often used in compounds like 'life raft' (for emergencies) or 'rubber raft' (for leisure). Inflatable rafts are different from the wooden rafts in sense 1 — they are commercially made and portable.
常見錯誤
4. A very great many of something; a broad collection or wide range that appears or
A very great many of something; a broad collection or wide range that appears or arrives together.
The new government faced a raft of problems when it took office.
a raft of + problems
Researchers published a raft of studies on the health effects of air pollution.
The senator proposed a raft of new laws aimed at improving public safety.
Sade received a raft of complaints after the company changed its customer service policy.
The charity faced a whole raft of challenges during the winter storm.
文法句型
a raft of + [plural noun]
a whole raft of + [noun]
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'of' and a plural noun. This is a figurative sense — it has nothing to do with actual watercraft. Common in news and business writing.
常見錯誤
raft — verb
- raftpresent simple I / you / we / they
- rafts3rd person singular
- rafting-ing form
- raftedpast simple
1. To travel on a raft, or to carry people or goods by raft, usually across a river
To travel on a raft, or to carry people or goods by raft, usually across a river, lake, or through rapids for adventure.
Every summer, Tamar's family rafts down the Colorado River with an experienced guide.
raft down [river]
The explorers rafted the food supplies across the lake to their campsite.
Putri learned to raft safely after taking a weekend training course on the river.
The group of adventurers rafted through the narrow canyon, steering carefully around the large rocks.
Folake and her friends rafted ten kilometres down the river in one afternoon.
文法句型
raft + down/across/along [water body]
raft [goods/supplies] + across [water body]
用法筆記
When transitive (raft + object), the object is usually the goods or people being carried, not the raft itself. For example: 'raft the supplies', not 'raft the raft'.
常見錯誤
2. To tie logs or cut timber together into a floating bundle so that they can be mo
To tie logs or cut timber together into a floating bundle so that they can be moved by water to another location.
The logging crew rafted the cut timber together and guided it downstream to the mill.
raft timber together
Workers rafted the logs before pushing the bundle into the river current.
The forestry company rafts pine logs down the river every spring.
Before the river froze, the crew rafted the remaining timber to the collection point.
文法句型
raft [logs/timber] + together
raft [logs] + to [place]
用法筆記
This is a specialist sense found mainly in the timber and logging industry. Most learners will encounter it only in technical or historical contexts.