ferry
B1Neutral. Common in everyday, travel, transport, and geographical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A boat or ship that transports people, vehicles, or goods across a relatively short stretch of water, typically on a regular schedule between fixed points.
The service or route operated by such a boat; also, to transport people or goods in this manner, or to carry from one place to another, often with a sense of repeated or continuous back-and-forth movement.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a scheduled, repeated service across a relatively narrow body of water (river, channel, bay). Not used for long ocean voyages. As a verb, often used with prepositions 'across', 'to', 'from', 'over'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. 'Ferry' is the standard term in both. In some UK contexts, especially for smaller, older passenger ferries, 'ferry boat' might be used colloquially. The verb 'to ferry' is equally common.
Connotations
Neutral in both. In the UK, may evoke specific iconic services (e.g., Dover-Calais, Isle of Wight ferries). In the US, may evoke services like the Staten Island Ferry or Washington State Ferries.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to geography (more islands, shorter sea crossings). The verb form is equally common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[S] ferry [O] across/to [place][S] ferry [O] around[S] ferry [O] back and forthVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Ferry of the Dead (mythological, Charon's ferry)”
- “miss the boat/ferry (idiomatic for missing an opportunity)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Discussions of logistics, transport networks, or tourism infrastructure.
Academic
Geography (transportation networks, island connectivity), history (historical trade routes).
Everyday
Planning travel, discussing commute, holiday plans.
Technical
Maritime engineering, transport planning, naval architecture.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The last ferry to the island departs at 11 PM.
- We waited in the queue for the car ferry at Holyhead.
American English
- The ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island offers stunning views.
- He commutes to work daily on the Staten Island Ferry.
verb
British English
- Lifeboats were used to ferry the stranded passengers to shore.
- This small boat ferries supplies between the two villages.
American English
- Tour buses ferry visitors from the hotel to the park entrance.
- She spent the afternoon ferrying the kids to their various football practices.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We took the ferry to see the castle.
- The ferry is big and yellow.
- You can buy ferry tickets online or at the terminal.
- How long does the ferry crossing to France take?
- The ferry service was suspended due to high winds, causing major disruption.
- He ferried the important documents to the embassy by motorbike.
- The proposed bridge would render the century-old ferry service obsolete.
- Diplomatic couriers routinely ferry classified communications between capitals.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'FER' from 'transfer' and 'RY' from 'carry' – a ferry transfers/carries you across water.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY / A ferry is a stage or means in that journey. TIME IS A FERRY (poetic) – carries us from one state to another.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'паром' (parom) which is 100% correct, but avoid direct calque 'перевозить' as the primary verb meaning – English uses the noun-derived verb 'to ferry'. 'Ferry' is more specific than generic 'boat' or 'ship'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'ferry' for a pleasure cruise or long ocean liner voyage. Incorrect preposition: 'We ferried *in* the harbour' (correct: 'across the harbour').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely context for the verb 'to ferry'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A ferry is primarily for point-to-point transport, often with vehicles, on a regular schedule over short distances. A cruise ship is for leisure voyages, visiting multiple destinations over days or weeks.
Yes. While nautical in origin, the verb 'to ferry' can mean to transport people or things repeatedly from one place to another by any means, e.g., 'buses ferrying tourists', 'ferrying data between servers'.
A ferry typically follows a fixed route and schedule between designated terminals. A water taxi is usually on-demand, charters to various points, and is often smaller.
Largely, yes. 'Ferry' alone is sufficient. 'Ferryboat' is occasionally used for clarity or in older/colloquial contexts but is not standard in modern professional usage.
Collections
Part of a collection
Transport
A2 · 48 words · Ways of getting from place to place.