pier definition - Dictionary

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pier

pier [ peer ] (plural piers)

noun

Definition:

1. walkway jutting into sea: a platform built on stilts jutting out into a body of water, used as a boat dock, a place from which to fish, or as an entertainment center

2. construction breakwater: a barrier built out to sea to protect a harbor from heavy waves

3. construction vertical structural support: a pillar, especially a rectangular one supporting the end of an arch, lintel, or vault

4. construction bridge support: a vertical structural support between two spans of a bridge

5. architecture wall between adjacent doors: an area of wall between two adjacent doors, windows, or other openings

6. architecture column projecting from wall: a column of masonry projecting from a wall

7. construction wall reinforcement: a vertical structure, usually of masonry, built against a wall to support it

[12th century. < Anglo-Latin pera]

Spelling Note


	See peer¹.

Cultural Note


	The Road to Wigan Pier, a book (1937) by the British writer George Orwell. It combines a first-hand account of the appalling living conditions endured by workers in northern England with a penetrating analysis of class interests and prejudices. Its graphic and moving descriptions, compelling arguments, and restrained anger make it a classic of literary journalism.