harbor

/ˈhɑrbər/

/ˈhɑbə/

Other forms: harbors; harbored; harboring

A harbor is a safe place providing refuge and comfort. If you're traveling, the harbor provided by a warm hotel is welcome. For ships, a harbor is a sheltered port area shielded from waves, where it's safe to dock.

Harbor can also be used as a verb, which describes maintaining a belief or a feeling. If you harbor ill-will toward your neighbor John, you don't like him much. Harbor can also mean you hold back your ideas and don't express them openly. John may have no idea you hate him if you harbor your true feelings deep inside, but pretend you like him to his face.

Definitions of harbor

1. noun

   a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo
   synonyms: harbour, haven, seaport

   examples:

   Caesarea

   an ancient seaport in northwestern Israel; an important Roman city in ancient Palestine

   Pearl Harbor

   a harbor on Oahu to the west of Honolulu; location of a United States naval base that was attacked by the Japanese on 7 Dec 1941

   Boston Harbor

   the seaport at Boston

   types:

   coaling station

   a seaport where ships can take on supplies of coal

   port of call

   any port where a ship stops except its home port

   type of:

   port

   a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
2. noun

   a place of refuge and comfort and security
   synonyms: harbour

   type of:

   asylum, refuge, sanctuary

   a shelter from danger or hardship
3. verb

   secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)
   synonyms: harbour

   type of:

   shelter

   provide shelter for
4. verb

   keep in one's possession; of animals
   synonyms: harbour

   type of:

   hold on, keep

   retain possession of
5. verb

   maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
   “harbor a resentment”

   synonyms: entertain, harbour, hold, nurse

   type of:

   experience, feel

   undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
6. verb

   hold back a thought or feeling about
   “She is harboring a grudge against him”

   synonyms: harbour, shield

   type of:

   conceal, hide

   prevent from being seen or discovered