oar

views updated Jun 11 2018

oar / ôr/ • n. a pole with a flat blade, pivoting in an oar lock, used to row or steer a boat through the water. ∎ a rower.• v. [tr.] row; propel with or as with oars: oaring the sea like madmen | [intr.] oaring through the weeds. ∎ move (something, esp. the hands) like oars: her slender arms oaring the air.PHRASES: put in one's oar inf. give an opinion without being asked.rest on one's oars relax one's efforts.DERIVATIVES: oar·less adj.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

oar

views updated May 23 2018

oar OE. ār = ON. ár :- Gmc. *airō.
Hence oarlock OE. ārloc; see ROWLOCK.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

OAr

views updated May 29 2018

OAr Old Arabic

The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH