shores

shores — noun

1. the ground where a wide river, sea, or lake ends and dry land begins — the visib

1.nounB1
Definition

the ground where a wide river, sea, or lake ends and dry land begins — the visible strip at the water's edge.

Example

The rocky shores of Maine attract thousands of visitors every summer.

collocation: rocky shores / sandy shores

Bilal walked along the shores of Lake Michigan at sunset.

pattern: the shores of [body of water]

Common collocations
  • rocky shores
  • sandy shores
  • eastern shores
  • western shores
  • shores of the lake
  • along the shores
  • on the shores
Synonyms
  • coast

    refers specifically to the edge of an ocean or sea, not lakes or rivers; 'coast' is broader and often includes inland areas near the sea

  • beach

    a specific type of shore covered with sand or pebbles, usually for swimming or sunbathing

  • bank

    used for rivers and canals, not seas or lakes

Grammar Patterns

the shores of [body of water]

along the shores

[adjective] shores

Usage Note

Often used in the plural form 'shores' even when referring to a single continuous stretch of land along water. The singular 'shore' is also common. This sense can be used for seas, oceans, lakes, and wide rivers.

Common Mistakes

The shores of the small pond were muddy.
The shore of the small pond was muddy.
'shores' sounds unnatural for a very small body of water; use the singular 'shore' for ponds and narrow streams.
We walked along the bank of the sea.
We walked along the shores of the sea.
'bank' is used for rivers, not seas or lakes; use 'shore' or 'shores' for large bodies of water.

2. the solid ground considered in contrast to being at sea or on a boat.

2.nounB1
Definition

the solid ground considered in contrast to being at sea or on a boat.

Example

After weeks at sea, the crew was happy to set foot on dry shores.

collocation: dry shores / set foot on shores

Renata prefers life on shore rather than living on a boat.

pattern: on shore (no article, uncountable sense)

Common collocations
  • on shore
  • set foot on shore
  • return to shore
  • reach shore
  • ashore
Synonyms
  • land

    the most general term; 'land' includes everything not covered by water, while 'shore' specifically means the ground at the water's edge

  • coastline

    emphasises the geographical boundary between land and sea, not the contrast of being on land vs. at sea

Antonyms
  • sea

    the open ocean or large body of water

  • water

    any body of water as opposed to dry land

Grammar Patterns

on shore

ashore

set foot on shore

reach shore

Usage Note

In the singular, 'shore' (not 'shores') is more common when contrasting land with sea, especially in fixed phrases like 'on shore', 'ashore', 'reach shore'. The plural 'shores' can be used poetically or when referring to multiple locations.

Common Mistakes

The passengers went on the shore after the cruise.
The passengers went ashore after the cruise.
'go ashore' is the natural fixed expression; 'go on the shore' sounds like a specific beach visit.
The ship is approaching the shores.' (when meaning any land, not a specific coastline)
The ship is approaching shore.
Use the singular without article when the meaning is 'land in general' rather than a specific coast.

3. a beam, timber, or metal prop placed against or under a structure to hold it in

3.nounC1
Definition

a beam, timber, or metal prop placed against or under a structure to hold it in position and prevent it from falling or sinking.

Example

The miners placed wooden shores against the tunnel walls to prevent a cave-in.

collocation: wooden shores / place shores against

Heavy steel shores held up the ceiling of the old mine for decades.

collocation: steel shores

Common collocations
  • wooden shores
  • steel shores
  • install shores
  • remove shores
  • place shores
  • temporary shores
Synonyms
  • prop

    a general term for any rigid support; 'prop' is less specific than 'shore' and can be temporary or permanent

  • brace

    a support that holds parts in position, often angled rather than vertical

  • beam

    a long horizontal structural member; a 'shore' is a type of beam used specifically for temporary support

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] shore + verb

install shores

place shores against [object]

Usage Note

This is a technical term found mainly in construction, mining, and civil engineering contexts. The verb 'shore up' (see verb entry) is far more common in everyday language, while the noun 'shore' in this sense is rare outside professional settings.

Common Mistakes

The house needs shores to stay up.
The house needs shoring / to be shored up to stay up.
In everyday English, the verb 'shore up' is used much more often than the noun 'shore' for this meaning.
Idioms

(foreign / distant / faraway) shores

idiom

a country or continent that has a coastline, especially when thought of as a distant or unfamiliar place reached by sea.

Many young graduates travel to foreign shores to study at universities abroad.

The novel follows a family that leaves everything behind to seek a new life on distant shores.

shores — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to land next to water, but they differ in scope and use. 'Shore' is the broadest term — it covers the edge of any large body of water, including seas, lakes, and wide rivers. 'Coast' refers specifically to the land along an ocean or sea, often including the inland area near the water, and is used in geography and travel (e.g. 'the west coast of Taiwan'). 'Beach' is a narrower type of shore covered with sand, pebbles, or small stones, where people go to swim or sunbathe. 'Bank' is only used for rivers, canals, and small streams — never for seas or lakes. 'Seaside' is a British English term for coastal towns or resorts. For everyday use: if you are at the ocean and standing on sand, you are on the 'shore' or the 'beach'. If you are looking at a map, you follow the 'coast'. A 'river bank' is correct; a 'sea bank' is not.

coast ↗beach ↗bank ↗seaside

Common collocations

Phrases

  • shore up
  • set foot on shore
  • on foreign shores
  • reach shore
  • distant shores

Prepositions

  • along the shores
  • on the shores
  • off the shores
  • to the shores
  • from the shores

Etymology

GermanicMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'shore' comes from Middle English 'schore', from Old English 'score' or 'sceoru', related to Middle Dutch 'schore' and Middle Low German 'schōr', meaning a prop or support. The 'land by water' sense and the 'support beam' sense developed from the same Germanic root, though they diverged early. The 'prop' meaning is related to the verb 'shore up', which has been in use since the 1300s. The 'land's edge' meaning has been the dominant sense since Old English times.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun (2)