raft¹ / raft/ • n. a flat buoyant structure of timber or other materials fastened together, used as a boat or floating platform. ∎  a small, inflatable rubber or plastic boat, esp. one for use in emergencies. ∎  a floating mass of fallen trees, vegetation, ice, or other material. ∎  a dense flock of swimming birds or mammals: great rafts of cormorants, often 5,000 strong. ∎  a layer of reinforced concrete forming the foundation of a building.• v. 1. [intr.] travel on or as if on a raft: I have rafted along the Rio Grande. ∎  [tr.] transport on or as a raft: the stores were rafted ashore I rafted 400 logs to my mill. ∎  (of an ice floe) be driven on top of or underneath another floe. ∎  [tr.] transport (timber) on water in the form of a raft.2. [tr.] bring or fasten together (a number of boats or other objects) side by side.raft² • n. a large amount of something: a raft of government initiatives.

raft. Type of foundation consisting of a solid slab, a slab with beams, or a cellular raft (containing a basement), all in reinforced concrete. It spreads the load from the building on the ground, and helps to prevent settlement.

Raft

a large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately; a dense flock of swimming birds; a collection of logs; fallen trees.

Examples : raft of auks (at sea); of swimming birds; of books; of crocodiles, 1774; of fellows, 1833; of folk; of logs; of masts, 1497; of people; of reporters; of tamarisk, 1822; of timber, 1745; of trees, 1806; of fallen trees; of verdure, 1876.

raft †beam, spar; structure of planks, etc., forming a means of transport over water. XV — ON. raptr rafter, rel. to OHG. rāvo beam, ON. ráfr, ræfr roof; cf. next.

RAFT Banking revolving acceptance facility by tender