Ford
/fɔrd/
nounverbB1
Definition
As a noun, a ford is a natural or made shallow spot in a river or stream that is easy to cross without a bridge. As a verb, to ford means to go across a river or stream at this shallow place by walking, riding, or driving through the water.
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See It in Action
Noun: A shallow place in a river or stream where crossing is possible
- •The hikers crossed the river at the ford.
- •The old village was built near a ford for easy access.
- •Cars can drive through the ford when the water is low.
Verb: To cross a river or stream at a shallow place
- •The soldiers forded the river to reach the other side.
- •We forded the stream carefully to avoid slipping.
- •The truck forded the river without any problems.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ford" like "cross," but specifically crossing water where it is not deep
- ✓Picture a calm river with a low, flat area where you can step carefully from one side to the other without swimming
- ✓It's the feeling of carefully walking through cool water on a warm day to get to the other side
- ✓Sounds like "ford" → imagine a friendly Ford car driving carefully through a shallow river crossing
- ✓In stories or movies, characters sometimes have to ford a river to continue their journey without a bridge
- ✓NOT like "bridge" (a structure over water), a ford is the water itself but shallow enough to cross
- ✓NOT like "swim" (moving in deep water), fording means walking or driving through shallow water
- ✓NOT like "ferry" (a boat to cross water), fording uses the natural shallow spot to cross on foot or by vehicle
Try Other Words
- •Crossing: a place or act of going from one side to another (general use)
- •Shallow crossing: a crossing point where water is not deep (more descriptive)
- •Stream crossing: a place to cross a small river or stream (more specific)
- •Wade across: to walk through water (used as a verb, focuses on the action rather than the place)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no prefix or suffix) — "ford" is a simple root word
- •Etymology: Old English "ford" meaning a shallow place in a river to cross
- •Historical development: Used since ancient times for natural river crossings before bridges were common
- •Modern usage: Still used in geography, travel, and stories to describe crossing shallow waters safely
- •Interesting fact: Many place names include "ford" (e.g., Oxford means "ford of the oxen")
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a place near you where people might need to ford a river or stream? How would it be different from using a bridge?
•How does the idea of fording a river relate to challenges in life, like crossing difficult but manageable obstacles?
Fill in the blanks
1.The hikers found a ford where the river was ___ shallow enough to walk across safely.
2.To ford the river, you must be careful not to slip on the ___ river bottom.
3.Unlike swimming, to ford a stream means you ___ through water that is not deep.
4.When the bridge was closed, the villagers used the old ford to ___ the river.
5.The truck ___ the stream slowly to avoid making waves or getting stuck.
6.A ford is different from a bridge because it is a ___ in the water, not a structure above it.
7.People often choose to ford a river when the water level is ___ low and safe for crossing.