beach
BEECH
Beach (noun) means a sandy or pebbly shore along the sea or a lake. Example: “The children built a sandcastle on the beach while their parents read.”
noun
1
A sandy or pebbly shore along the sea or a lake.
"The children built a sandcastle on the beach while their parents read."
"We spent the whole day lying on the beach."
"The beach was covered in shells after the storm."
verb
1
To bring a boat or ship deliberately onto the shore, or to run aground.
"The captain beached the damaged ship rather than let it sink in deep water."
"If the wind keeps pushing us sideways, we will have to beach the dinghy here."
"The fishermen beached their boat before the tide turned."
How to use beach
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sandy shoreline, or (as a verb) to pull a boat up onto land.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sandy beach
beach towel
beach a boat
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- beaches
- Past tense
- beached
Fill the gap
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The children built a sandcastle on the _____ while their parents read.
Etymology
From an old English dialect word for a stream or sandbank, related to German "Bach" ("brook").
Related words
Rhymes for beach
See all rhymes for beach →Frequently asked questions
What does “beach” mean?
The word “beach” means a sandy or pebbly shore along the sea or a lake. In plain terms, a sandy shoreline, or (as a verb) to pull a boat up onto land.
How do you pronounce “beach”?
“Beach” is pronounced BEECH (/ˈbiːt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “beach” in a sentence?
Here is “beach” used in a sentence: “We spent the whole day lying on the beach.”
What is another word for “beach”?
Words with a similar meaning to “beach” include strand.
What part of speech is “beach”?
Depending on how it is used, “beach” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “beach” come from?
The word “beach” comes from Old English. From an old English dialect word for a stream or sandbank, related to German "Bach" ("brook").
Is “beach” a common word?
“Beach” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “beach” have?
“Beach” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sandy or pebbly shore along the sea or a lake.
What is the difference between a beach and a coast?
A beach is the specific strip of sand or pebbles right at the water's edge. The coast is the wider region where land meets sea, which may include cliffs, dunes, harbours and towns as well as beaches. Every beach is part of a coast, but a coast is much more than its beaches.
What is the difference between a beach and a shore?
The words overlap. "Shore" is the general land bordering a sea, lake or river, whatever it is made of — rock, mud or sand. "Beach" is more specific: a shore covered in sand or pebbles, the kind you might sunbathe on. So all beaches are shores, but not all shores are beaches.
What are beaches made of?
Most beaches are made of sand, but many are covered in pebbles, shingle or larger stones instead. The material comes from rock and shells worn down over long periods by waves and weather. Colour varies too — from pale gold to black volcanic sand — depending on the local rock.
What is an example of a beach?
Any sandy or pebbly stretch along the sea or a lake is a beach — from a busy seaside resort where people swim and sunbathe to a quiet cove reached only on foot. Famous examples include the long sandy shores of the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Australia's coastline.
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