port

Etymology 1

From Old English port, borrowed from Latin portus (“port, harbour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pértus (“crossing”) (and thus distantly cognate with ford). The directional sense, attested since at least the 1500s, derives from ancient vessels with the steering oar on the right (see etymology of starboard), which therefore had to moor with their left sides facing the dock or wharf.

noun

1. A place on the coast at which ships can shelter, or dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.
   From the ground, Colombo's port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away. 2013-06-08, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52
2. A town or city containing such a place, a port city.
   More broadly, the port is seen as a litmus test for France; if its most multicultural city can foster vast Muslim enclaves viewed with broad suspicion or hostility by the police, then what hope is there elsewhere? 2023-07-01, Mark Townsend, “‘We are seen as less human’: inside Marseille’s districts abandoned by the police”, in The Observer, →ISSN
3. (nautical, aviation, uncountable) The left-hand side of a vessel, including aircraft, when one is facing the front. Used to unambiguously refer to directions relative to the vessel structure, rather than to a person or object on board.
4. (rowing) A sweep rower that primarily rows with an oar on the port side.
   Each eight has four ports and four starboards.

adj

1. (nautical) Of or relating to port, the left-hand side of a vessel when facing the bow.
   on the port side

verb

1. (nautical, transitive, chiefly imperative) To turn or put to the left or larboard side of a ship; said of the helm.
   Port your helm!

Etymology 2

Inherited from the Old English port, from the Latin porta (“passage, gate”), reinforced by the Old French porte. Doublet of porta.

noun

1. (now Scotland, historical) An entryway or gate.
   And whan he cam to the porte of the pavelon, Sir Palomydes seyde an hyghe, ‘Where art thou, Sir Trystram de Lyones?’ 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, book X
   Long were it to describe the goodly frame, / And stately port of Castle Joyeous […]. 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1
   Him I accuse / The city ports by this hath enter'd 1623, Shakespeare, Coriolanus, V.vi
   And from their ivory port the Cherubim, / Forth issuing at the accustomed hour 1667, Milton, Paradise Lost, book IV
2. An opening or doorway in the side of a ship, especially for boarding or loading; an embrasure through which a cannon may be discharged; a porthole.
   […] her ports being within sixteen inches of the water […] c. 1615, Sir W. Raleigh, A Discourse of the Invention of Ships, Anchors, Compass[…]
3. (medicine) A small medical appliance installed beneath the skin, connected to a vein by a catheter, and used to inject drugs or to draw blood samples.
4. (curling, bowls) A space between two stones wide enough for a delivered stone or bowl to pass through.
5. An opening where a connection (such as a pipe) is made.
6. (computing) A logical or physical construct in and from which data are transferred. Computer port (hardware) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
7. (computing) A female connector of an electronic device, into which a cable's male connector can be inserted.

Etymology 3

From Old French porter, from Latin portāre (“carry”). Akin to transport, portable.

verb

1. To carry, bear, or transport. See porter.
   They are easily ported by boat into other shires. 1662, Fuller, The History of the Worthies of England
2. (military) To hold or carry (a weapon) with both hands so that it lays diagonally across the front of the body, with the barrel or similar part near the left shoulder and the right hand grasping the small of the stock; or, to throw (the weapon) into this position on command.
   Port arms!
   […] the angelic squadron...began to hem him round with ported spears. 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, book IV
3. (computing, video games) To adapt, modify, or create a new version of, a program so that it works on a different platform. Porting (computing) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
4. (telephony, transitive) To carry or transfer (an existing telephone number) from one telephone service provider to another.
   If you submit a request to port a number, and you list the name on the account as Bob Smith, but your local carrier has the number listed under your wife's name Mary Mahoney, the porting request is rejected. 2011, Stephen P. Olejniczak, Telecom For Dummies, page 131
5. (US, government and law) To transfer a voucher or subsidy from one jurisdiction to another.

noun

1. Something used to carry a thing, especially a frame for wicks in candle-making.
2. (archaic) The manner in which a person carries himself; bearing; deportment; carriage. See also portance.
   And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. late 14th c., Chaucer, “General Prologue”, in Canterbury Tales, line 69
   Those same with stately grace, and princely port / She taught to tread, when she her selfe would grace […] 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.iii
3. (military) The position of a weapon when ported; a rifle position executed by throwing the weapon diagonally across the front of the body, with the right hand grasping the small of the stock and the barrel sloping upward and crossing the point of the left shoulder.
4. (computing) A program that has been adapted, modified, or recoded so that it works on a different platform from the one for which it was created; the act of this adapting.
   Gamers can't wait until a port of the title is released on the new system.
   The latest port of the database software is the worst since we made the changeover.
5. (computing, BSD) A set of files used to build and install a binary executable file from the source code of an application.

Etymology 4

Named from Portuguese Porto, a city in Portugal where the wines were originally shipped from.

noun

1. A type of very sweet fortified wine, mostly dark red, traditionally made in Portugal.

Etymology 5

Abbreviation of portmanteau.

noun

1. (Australia) A suitcase or schoolbag.
   No, she just paid up proper-like t' the end of the week, an' orf she went with 'er port, down t' the station, I suppose. 1964, George Johnston, My Brother Jack
   As they left the classroom, Jennifer pointed at the shelves lining the veranda. “Put your port in there.” “What?” asked Penny. “Your port - your school bag, silly. It goes in there.” 2001, Sally de Dear, The House on Pig Island, page 8
   How do you think the cane toads got into this pristine environment? Joseph Midnight brought them in his port from Townsville, smuggled them in, not that anyone was there to stop him. 2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 53

Etymology 6

Abbreviation of portfolio.

noun

1. (informal) The portfolio of a model or artist.
   This is a logical way to order your work, but use it only if you're confident the first piece in your port is a strong one. Also note that this style of arrangement works best if all the pieces are in the same category. 2011, Debbie Rose Myers, The Graphic Designer's Guide to Portfolio Design, page 53