Word: ford (noun, verb)

Associations

"Ford" can be both a noun and a verb.

As a noun, it means a shallow place in a river or stream where people, animals, or vehicles can cross by walking or driving through the water. As a verb, it means to cross a river or stream at such a shallow place.

Examples:

• Noun: "We stopped at a ford to cross the river on foot." Here, "ford" is the place in the river.
• Verb: "The hikers had to ford the river to continue their journey." Here, "ford" means to cross the river.
• "The car got stuck while trying to ford the stream." This means the car tried to cross the shallow water but had trouble.

Synonym: "crossing" can be similar, but "ford" specifically means crossing water at a shallow point, while "crossing" can be any place or act of going from one side to another.

Substitution

Instead of "ford" (verb), you can say:

• "cross" – more general, not necessarily through water
• "wade across" – emphasizes walking through water
• "traverse" – more formal, means to go across something

Instead of "ford" (noun), you can say:

• "shallow crossing"
• "river crossing"

Using "cross" instead of "ford" makes the meaning broader, not always implying water.

Deconstruction

The word "ford" comes from Old English "ford," meaning a shallow place in a river. It has Germanic roots and is related to similar words in other Germanic languages.

It is a simple word without prefixes or suffixes.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a place near you where people might ford a river or stream?
• Have you ever crossed a shallow river by walking or driving through the water? How was the experience?
• How does "ford" differ from just "crossing" a river in your mind? When would you use one word over the other?