dredge¹ Definition
dredge (drej)
noun
- a device consisting of a net attached to a frame, dragged along the bottom of a river, bay, etc. to gather shellfish, marine plant specimens, etc.
- an apparatus for scooping or sucking up mud, sand, rocks, etc., as in deepening or clearing channels, harbors, etc.
- a barge or other boat equipped with a dredge
Etymology: prob. < MDu dregge, akin to drag
transitive verb dredged, dredg′·ing
- to search for or gather (up) with or as with a dredge
- to enlarge or clean out (a river channel, harbor, etc.) with a dredge
intransitive verb
- to use a dredge
- to search as with a dredge
dredge¹ Related Forms
dredge² Definition
dredge (drej)
transitive verb dredged, dredg′·ing
- to coat (food) with flour or the like, as by sprinkling
- to sprinkle (flour, etc.)
Etymology: < ME dragge, sweetmeat < OFr dragie < ML dragium, earlier dragetum < L tragemata < Gr tragēmata, pl. of tragēma, dried fruit, dessert < trōgein, to gnaw < IE *trog- < base *ter-, to rub: see throw
dredge² Related Forms
dredge Usage Examples
Object
- seabed: Dredging the seabed: The most contaminated areas of the seabed would be dredged and the particles separated for storage and disposal.
- spoil: The first one looking at the beneficial use of dredged spoil for habitat creation or management.
- sediment: What is in the dredged sediment - especially from marinas?
- gravel: The path then skirts inland around Kendall's Wharf, still used for landing gravel dredged from the sea bed.
- aggregate: Tarmac Aggregate operate on a 5 hectare site dedicated to the import of marine dredged aggregate.
- sand: Instead, the EPA is expected to cover part of the deposit with a layer of sand dredged from the nearby harbor.
Followed by an intransitive particle
up: Over the years many old anchors have been dredged up off the coast, some have been placed on display here.
Modifies a noun
- spoil: Even so, production of sewage sludges, dredge spoils, mining tailings and exhaust gases are unlikely to fall significantly.
- fishery: This too is mainly a vessel dredge fishery through government license.
Modifying Another Word
- offshore: The eroded sand may form offshore bars to supply material for renewed dune formation, provided there is no offshore dredging.
- regularly: The marinas in the harbor are dredged regularly to keep the depth of water adequate for safe navigation.
Noun used with modifier
- scallop: Most scallops are caught by 10 to 30 meter vessels towing between four and 20 specialized scallop dredges from each side.
- data: Unusually, we are also told the number of dietary items in the data dredge, namely 67.
Followed by a transitive particle
up: We don't believe in dredging up past pain.
Particle object:
memory: At 9:54 AM, China Blue quoth... Aagh - that post has dredged up a few memories.
Preposition: of
- aggregate: Dredging of aggregates and shipping channels may also disrupt natural sediment movement between sublittoral areas and the shore.
- channel: Small scale maintenance dredging of the approach channels to harbor marinas ( e.g.
Preposition: from
seabed: A major beach recharge project was completed in 1987, using shingle dredged from the seabed off the Isle of Wight.
Preposition: with
sugar: Turn out the puddings onto a warmed platter and lightly dredge with caster sugar.
Preposition: for
oyster: The Pitt family dredged for oysters, mainly in the Paglesham area.

