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
Origin:
prob. < MDu dregge, akin to drag
transitive verb dredged, dredging
- 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