harbor

Meanings

Noun

• Any place of shelter.
• A sheltered expanse of water, adjacent to land, in which ships may anchor or dock, especially for loading and unloading.
• A mixing box for materials.
• A house of the zodiac, or the mansion of a heavenly body.
• Shelter, refuge.

Verb

• To provide a harbor or safe place for.
• To take refuge or shelter in a protected expanse of water.
• To drive (a hunted stag) to covert.
• To hold or persistently entertain in one's thoughts or mind.

Origin

• From Middle English herberwe, herber, from Old English herebeorg, from Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu (compare West Frisian herberch ("inn"), Dutch herberg ("inn"), German Herberge), from *harjaz + *bergō, equivalent to Old English here ("army, host") + beorg. Cognate with Old Norse herbergi ("a harbour; a room") (whence Icelandic herbergi), Dutch herberg, German Herberge ("inn, hostel, shelter"), Swedish härbärge. Compare also French auberge ("hostel"). More at here, harry, borrow and bury. harbinger
• From Middle English herberwen, herbere, from Old English herebeorgian, from the noun (see above).