moor

Etymology 1

From Middle English mor, from Old English mōr, from Proto-Germanic *mōraz, from Proto-Indo-European *móri. Cognates include Welsh môr, Old Irish muir (from Proto-Celtic *mori); Scots muir, Dutch moer, Old Saxon mōr, Old Saxon mūr, German Moor and perhaps also Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹 (marei). See mere.

noun

1. An extensive waste covered with patches of heath, and having a poor, light soil, but sometimes marshy, and abounding in peat; a heath
   A cold, biting wind blew across the moor, and the travellers hastened their step.
   In her girlish age, she kept sheep on the moor.
2. A game preserve consisting of moorland.

Etymology 2

From Middle English moren, from unattested Old English *mārian, from Proto-West Germanic *mairōn (“to moor, fasten to”), related to *maida- (“post”), from Proto-Indo-European *mēyt-, *meyt-, from *mēy-, *mey- (“stake, pole”). Cognate with Dutch meren (“to moor”), marren (“to bind”).

verb

1. (intransitive, nautical) To cast anchor or become fastened.
   The vessel was moored in the stream.
2. (transitive, nautical) To fix or secure (e.g. a vessel) in a particular place by casting anchor, or by fastening with ropes, cables or chains or the like.
   They moored the boat to the wharf.
3. (transitive) To secure or fix firmly.