dinghy

Everyday

1. A small open boat, rowed with oars or sailed, often used to get from a bigger boat to the shore. tree →
2. A small rubber boat that you blow up with air, used for fun or in an emergency (an inflatable dinghy). tree →

In the lessons

In stories about the sea, lakes and holidays a dinghy is the little boat people row or sail; in safety lessons it is the life raft or rescue boat; in maths problems a dinghy may hold a few people or travel a distance. Phrases: «row the dinghy», «sailing dinghy», «rubber dinghy», «tow a dinghy».

Examples

• We rowed the dinghy across the harbour to the yacht. tree →
• Dad blew up the rubber dinghy on the beach. tree →
• The sailing club teaches children to sail a dinghy. tree →
• A dinghy can hold 4 people; how many dinghies do 12 people need? tree →
• Always wear a life jacket in a dinghy. tree →
• The dinghy tipped over and we got soaking wet. tree →
• The big boat towed a little dinghy behind it. tree →
• It was the pirate dinghy, with three figures in her, Smee and Starkey, and the third a captive, no other than Tiger Lily. tree →

Note

Countable: one dinghy, two dinghies (y changes to ies). Say «DING-ee» or «DING-gee». Do not confuse with «dingy» (dark and dirty, said «DIN-jee»). A dinghy is small; a ship is big. In maths, «each dinghy holds n people» means divide the people by n and round up for the number of boats.