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riverbed Definition

river·bed (rivər bed′)

noun

the channel in which a river flows or has flowed

riverbed Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • follow: The railroad line runs parallel to the river in winding loops that follow the riverbed.
  • gouge: With god-like powers, you sculpt mountains, gouge riverbeds, and seed forests to lay the groundwork for your creation.
  • scour: These allowed a faster flow of water which scoured the riverbed, taking huge amounts of silt downstream into the Firth of Clyde.

Adjective modifier

  • dry: Two years ago, the site was just a dusty plain next to a dry riverbed.
  • ancient: It must have tumbled about in an ancient riverbed for many thousands of years.
  • sandy: Short sea traders have flat bottoms that are purposely designed to allow the vessel to sit on muddy and sandy riverbeds.
  • rocky: Our campsite is on a pleasant grassy patch, on the now much higher bank of the rocky riverbed.
  • old: The railroad line and car parks sit in the old riverbed.
  • dried-up: This former French administrative center is divided by a wide dried-up riverbed.

Modifies a noun

  • walk: I finally managed to see a splendid male perched in a tree during the last riverbed walk on 24th near Tambdi Surla.

Noun used with modifier

  • gravel: The physical habitat of the Lee between Welwyn and Hertford is good, with medium to fast water flow over a gravel riverbed.
riverbed Quotes

Fumbling silence in the White House seeps out over the country like a cold fog over a river bed where no stream runs.

—Acheson, Dean Gooderham

The riverbed, dried-up, half full of leaves. Us, listening to a river in the trees.

—Heaney, SeamusJustin

Browse dictionary entries near riverbed

  1. riverbank
  2. Rivera
  3. river horse
  4. river blindness
  5. river basin
  6. river
  7. riven
  8. rive
  9. rivalry
  10. rivalrous
  1. riverboat
  2. riverfront
  3. riverhead
  4. riverine
  5. Rivers
  6. riverside
  7. riverweed
  8. Rivest-Shamir-Adleman
  9. rivet
  10. riveting