harbour
gb/hˈɑɹbɚ/ us/hˈɑɹbɚ/
A2
Anglais
~ 7500
Sens
0 sens
Nom
A2
entity
1
sheltered port for ships
A place by the sea where the water is calm and safe, and ships can stay, load, and unload.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] enters/leaves [a harbour]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse "harbour" and "port". A "harbour" is the sheltered water area where ships stay, while a "port" can mean the whole place where ships load, unload, and have services, including the harbour, buildings, and town.
Synonymes
port (Often refers more to the town and its facilities than to the sheltered water itself, but overlaps in many contexts.)
|
harbor (Standard American spelling of the same word.)
Antonymes
open sea (Unprotected, exposed sea, the opposite of a sheltered harbour.)
Collocations
busy harbour
|fishing harbour
|natural harbour
|deep-water harbour
|harbour wall
|harbour entrance
Thèmes
travel
|geography
|transport
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The ferry left the harbour just as the sun was rising.
- Fishing boats filled the small harbour along the village shore.
- The city grew up around a large natural harbour.
- Oil leaked into the harbour after the accident at the dock.
- They stood on the harbour wall watching the yachts come in.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Many big ships are in the harbour.
- Our hotel is next to the harbour.
- The boat comes into the harbour every evening.
- This town has a small fishing harbour.
- We walk along the harbour and look at the boats.
unknown
B2
action
2
keep a feeling in mind
To continue to feel or think something, often something bad, for a long time and not show it openly.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] harbours [a feeling or thought]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes try to say *"harbour on a feeling"* or *"harbour for a feeling"*. Use "harbour" directly with the feeling: "harbour anger", "harbour doubts". Also, it is usually used for long-lasting or hidden feelings, not for short, simple emotions.
Synonymes
nurse (Often used with negative feelings (e.g. "nurse a grudge"), suggesting carefully keeping them alive.)
|
hold (More general and neutral; does not carry the same sense of being long-term or hidden.)
Antonymes
let go of (Means to stop holding onto a feeling, especially a negative one, which is the opposite of harbouring it.)
Collocations
harbour resentment
|harbour a grudge
|harbour doubts
|harbour suspicions
|harbour ambitions
|secretly harbour
Thèmes
emotions
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She still harbours deep resentment toward her former boss.
- Many voters harbour doubts about the new policy.
- He secretly harboured ambitions of becoming a writer.
- They have long harboured suspicions about the company’s finances.
- He harboured a quiet hope that she might come back.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She still harbours a grudge against her ex-husband.
- He harbours secret dreams of starting his own business.
- Many people harbour fears about losing their jobs.
- I do not harbour any anger toward you now.
- They harbour serious doubts about the plan.
Verbe
B2
action
3
hide or shelter someone
To let someone stay in your home or place, often secretly, when other people are looking for them.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] harbours [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "harbour" for ordinary hosting of friends or guests. In modern English, this sense usually suggests something secret, illegal, or dangerous, such as criminals or refugees, not normal visitors.
Synonymes
shelter (General word for giving protection; does not always include the idea of hiding someone from the law.)
|
hide (Focuses more on making someone unseen rather than on giving them a place to stay.)
Antonymes
betray (To reveal someone's hiding place to the authorities, the opposite of harbouring them.)
Collocations
harbour fugitives
|harbour a criminal
|harbour terrorists
|harbour refugees
|knowingly harbour
|illegally harbour
Thèmes
law
|safety
|relationships
Exemples
- They were accused of harbouring an escaped prisoner.
- Anyone who knowingly harbours terrorists will be prosecuted.
- The family risked their lives to harbour refugees during the war.
- Police arrested a man suspected of harbouring illegal immigrants.
- He denied harbouring any of the escaped convicts.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The police say he harboured a criminal in his house.
- They were punished for harbouring illegal workers.
- During the war, many families harboured refugees.
- She did not know she was harbouring a thief.
- It is a crime to harbour terrorists.
Verbe
technical
B2
action
4
contain or host organisms
To have something living or existing inside or on you, often something bad like germs or parasites.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] harbours [organisms/disease]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may not realise this sense is often used in scientific, health, or news reports, especially with negative things like bacteria or viruses. It is not normally used for positive things (we do not say something "harbours vitamins").
Synonymes
host (More formal and technical, especially in biology; very close in meaning in scientific contexts.)
|
carry (Common in everyday speech for diseases ("carry a virus"); does not always imply living inside.)
Antonymes
be free of (To not have something harmful living in or on you, the opposite of harbouring it.)
Collocations
harbour bacteria
|harbour viruses
|harbour parasites
|harbour disease
|harbour pests
|harbour infection
Thèmes
science
|health
Exemples
- Dirty kitchen sponges can harbour dangerous bacteria.
- The rats were found to harbour several types of parasites.
- Standing water may harbour mosquitoes that spread disease.
- Some animals can harbour the virus without showing symptoms.
- Old carpets often harbour dust mites and allergens.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Unwashed food can harbour germs.
- Old water in the bucket may harbour mosquitoes.
- These animals harbour a virus that can make people sick.
- Dirty cages can harbour many bacteria.
- The doctor says my body no longer harbours the infection.
Nom
B2
entity
5
place or situation of safety
A safe place or situation that protects you from danger, problems, or punishment.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is a harbour for [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think this meaning is always about ships, but in modern English "harbour" is also used more abstractly for emotional, social, or legal safety, especially in phrases like "safe harbour".
Synonymes
refuge (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal and often used for emotional or physical safety.)
|
sanctuary (Suggests a very safe, protected place, often with emotional or spiritual overtones.)
Antonymes
danger (A situation where harm is likely, which is the opposite of a safe harbour.)
Collocations
safe harbour
|legal safe harbour
|a harbour of peace
|provide a harbour
|emotional harbour
|safe harbour provision
Thèmes
safety
|law
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- Her home became a harbour of calm in a stressful city.
- The new law offers a safe harbour for small businesses that make honest mistakes.
- For many children, school is a harbour from problems at home.
- The charity aims to provide a harbour for young people in crisis.
- The agreement creates a legal harbour for companies that follow the guidelines.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This small town is a safe harbour for him.
- Her room is her harbour when she feels sad.
- The law gives a safe harbour to people who report crimes.
- The centre is a harbour for homeless teenagers.
- He found a harbour of peace in the countryside.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
harbour
API
GB/hˈɑɹbɚ/
US/hˈɑɹbɚ/
Syllabes et accentuation
har - bour (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (har)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: harbour
- Plural: harbour, harbours
Verb
- Base: harbour
- 3rd Person Singular: harbours
- Present Participle: harbouring
- Past: harboured
Famille de mots
Forms
harbours
noun
harbouring
verb
harboured
verb
Related words
harbor
noun A2
Advanced or less common
harbourage
noun
Expressions
harbour a grudge
1/hˈɑɹbɚ ə ɡɹˈʌd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
keep feeling angry at someone
To stay angry with someone for a long time because of something they did, and not forgive them.
Exemples
- Years later, he still harbours a grudge against his former coach.
- Try not to harbour a grudge; it will only make you unhappy.
harbour ambitions
1/hˈɑɹbɚ æmbˈɪʃənz/
fixed phrase
quietly have big goals
To have a strong wish to do something important, but not talk about it much.
Exemples
- He harbours ambitions of becoming a film director.
- She has long harboured ambitions to work overseas.
harbour doubts
1/hˈɑɹbɚ dˈaʊts/
fixed phrase
quietly have doubts
To still feel unsure about something and not fully believe it is right or true.
Exemples
- I still harbour doubts about the success of the project.
- Many scientists harbour doubts about the accuracy of the data.
harbour master
1/hˈɑɹbɚ mˈæstɚ/
fixed phrase
official in charge of a harbour
The person whose job is to manage a harbour and control the movement of ships there.
Exemples
- The harbour master ordered all small boats to return to port before the storm.
- You must report to the harbour master when your ship arrives.
harbour resentment
1/hˈɑɹbɚ ɹɪzˈɛntmənt/
fixed phrase
quietly keep feeling resentment
To feel angry and bitter for a long time, without showing it openly.
Exemples
- Many employees harbour resentment over the sudden pay cuts.
- She harboured resentment toward her parents for years.
harbour views
1/hˈɑɹbɚ vjˈuz/
fixed phrase
view of a harbour
The sight of a harbour that you can see from a window, room, or place.
Exemples
- The apartment has beautiful harbour views from the balcony.
- We chose the restaurant for its harbour views.
safe harbour
1/sˈeɪf hˈɑɹbɚ/
fixed phrase
place or rule of protection
A place, situation, or rule that keeps you safe from danger, problems, or punishment.
Exemples
- The country offered a safe harbour to people fleeing the war.
- The new law provides a safe harbour for companies that report data breaches quickly.