coast

Pronunciation

• enPR: kōst
• IPA ^(key): /kəʊst/
• SAMPA: /k@Ust/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular coast

Plural coasts

1. (countable) The coast is the area of land closest to the sea.

   The hotel was near the coast and their room had a balcony from which they could see the distant ocean.

   The numbers of fish along the Atlantic coast declined from heavy fishing, construction of dams, and pollution.

2. If the coast is clear, nobody is looking, so you can do something without anyone knowing.

   He looked out the window to see if the coast was clear.

Related words

• coastal

• 
  A sandy coast
• 
  A rocky coast
• 
  Canada with St. John's on the east coast and Prince Rupert on the west coast

Verb

Plain form coast

Third-person singular coasts

Past tense coasted

Past participle coasted

Present participle coasting

1. (intransitive) If a vehicle coasts, it continues to move forward without needing new energy.

   The car gradually coasted to a stop.

   He rested as the bike coasted down the hill.