Hypertext Webster Gateway: "river"

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)

River
(1.) Heb. 'aphik, properly the channel or ravine that holds
water (2 Sam. 22:16), translated "brook," "river," "stream," but
not necessarily a perennial stream (Ezek. 6:3; 31:12; 32:6;
34:13).

(2.) Heb. nahal, in winter a "torrent," in summer a "wady" or
valley (Gen. 32:23; Deut. 2:24; 3:16; Isa. 30:28; Lam. 2:18;
Ezek. 47:9).

These winter torrents sometimes come down with great
suddenness and with desolating force. A distinguished traveller
thus describes his experience in this matter:, "I was encamped
in Wady Feiran, near the base of Jebel Serbal, when a tremendous
thunderstorm burst upon us. After little more than an hour's
rain, the water rose so rapidly in the previously dry wady that
I had to run for my life, and with great difficulty succeeded in
saving my tent and goods; my boots, which I had not time to pick
up, were washed away. In less than two hours a dry desert wady
upwards of 300 yards broad was turned into a foaming torrent
from 8 to 10 feet deep, roaring and tearing down and bearing
everything upon it, tangled masses of tamarisks, hundreds of
beautiful palmtrees, scores of sheep and goats, camels and
donkeys, and even men, women, and children, for a whole
encampment of Arabs was washed away a few miles above me. The
storm commenced at five in the evening; at half-past nine the
waters were rapidly subsiding, and it was evident that the flood
had spent its force." (Comp. Matt. 7:27; Luke 6:49.)

(3.) Nahar, a "river" continuous and full, a perennial stream,
as the Jordan, the Euphrates (Gen. 2:10; 15:18; Deut. 1:7; Ps.
66:6; Ezek. 10:15).

(4.) Tel'alah, a conduit, or water-course (1 Kings 18:32; 2
Kings 18:17; 20:20; Job 38:25; Ezek. 31:4).

(5.) Peleg, properly "waters divided", i.e., streams divided,
throughout the land (Ps. 1:3); "the rivers [i.e., 'divisions']
of waters" (Job 20:17; 29:6; Prov. 5:16).

(6.) Ye'or, i.e., "great river", probably from an Egyptian
word (Aur), commonly applied to the Nile (Gen. 41:1-3), but also
to other rivers (Job 28:10; Isa. 33:21).

(7.) Yubhal, "a river" (Jer. 17:8), a full flowing stream.

(8.) 'Ubhal, "a river" (Dan. 8:2).

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

River \Riv"er\, n. [F. riv[`e]re a river, LL. riparia river,
bank of a river, fr. L. riparius belonging to a bank or
shore, fr. ripa a bank or shore; of uncertain origin. Cf.
{Arrive}, {Riparian}.]
1. A large stream of water flowing in a bed or channel and
emptying into the ocean, a sea, a lake, or another stream;
a stream larger than a rivulet or brook.

Transparent and sparkling rivers, from which it is
delightful to drink as they flow. --Macaulay.

2. Fig.: A large stream; copious flow; abundance; as, rivers
of blood; rivers of oil.

{River chub} (Zo["o]l.), the hornyhead and allied species of
fresh-water fishes.

{River crab} (Zo["o]l.), any species of fresh-water crabs of
the genus {Thelphusa}, as {T. depressa} of Southern
Europe.

{River dragon}, a crocodile; -- applied by Milton to the king
of Egypt.

{River driver}, a lumberman who drives or conducts logs down
rivers. --Bartlett.

{River duck} (Zo["o]l.), any species of duck belonging to
{Anas}, {Spatula}, and allied genera, in which the hind
toe is destitute of a membranous lobe, as in the mallard
and pintail; -- opposed to sea duck.

{River god}, a deity supposed to preside over a river as its
tutelary divinity.

{River herring} (Zo["o]l.), an alewife.

{River hog}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) Any species of African wild hogs of the genus
{Potamoch[oe]rus}. They frequent wet places along the
rivers.
(b) The capybara.

{River horse} (Zo["o]l.), the hippopotamus.

{River jack} (Zo["o]l.), an African puff adder ({Clotho
nasicornis}) having a spine on the nose.

{River limpet} (Zo["o]l.), a fresh-water, air-breathing
mollusk of the genus {Ancylus}, having a limpet-shaped
shell.

{River pirate} (Zo["o]l.), the pike.

{River snail} (Zo["o]l.), any species of fresh-water
gastropods of {Paludina}, {Melontho}, and allied genera.
See {Pond snail}, under {Pond}.

{River tortoise} (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous fresh-water
tortoises inhabiting rivers, especially those of the genus
{Trionyx} and allied genera. See {Trionyx}.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

River \Riv"er\, n.
One who rives or splits.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

River \Riv"er\, v. i.
To hawk by the side of a river; to fly hawks at river fowl.
[Obs.] --Halliwell.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

river
n : a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek); "the
river was navigable for 50 miles"


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