What does oar mean?
An oar is a long wooden implement used to propel and steer a boat by pulling it through the water. In a rowing boat, each oar is held by one person, and the coordinated movement of several oars produces the boat's forward motion. Oars are also used in small boats, such as sculls and dinghies, where a single rower may use a pair. The word is common in British and American English and appears in established expressions such as "pull the oars" and "lay up the oars." Although the noun is by far the most frequent form, oar can also be used as a verb, especially in formal or literary writing, meaning to propel or move a boat using oars. Its long history reaches back to Old English, making it one of the enduring practical terms of navigation and water transport.
A long, narrow implement used to propel and steer a boat by pulling it through the water.
"The fishermen lowered their oars when they reached the shoal."
The word is used in both British and American English. In rowing terminology, a pair of oars is often called a pair of oars or a set of oars.
To propel or move a boat using oars.
"The boatman oared the small craft toward the landing."
This verb is relatively uncommon and is more typical of formal, literary, or historical writing than everyday conversation.
The regular plural is used for individual rowing implements and for a boat's complete set of oars.
"The crew shipped their oars and rowed out into the bay."
An oar is older than modern rowing: the word survives from Old English, when it already named the implement used to move a boat through water.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does oar come from?
The word comes from Old English ār, meaning "oar," and appears in English with a long-established history. The Old Norse word ár is a close parallel, though the precise relationship between the forms in the two languages is not entirely certain. Modern English developed both the common noun and the less common verb form from this inherited vocabulary.
Related word forms
How oar is actually used
In British and American English, oar usually refers to the long wooden implement rather than the entire rowing action. The phrase "take to the oars" can mean to begin rowing or, figuratively, to take up a difficult task. The verb oar is less common than the noun and is mainly used in literary or traditional contexts.