The Collaborative International Dictionary
Scaup \Scaup\ (sk[add]p), n. [See Scalp a bed of oysters or mussels.]
A bed or stratum of shellfish; scalp. [Scot.]
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(Zo["o]l.) A scaup duck. See below.
Scaup duck (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of northern ducks of the genus Aythya, or Fuligula. The adult males are, in large part, black. The three North American species are: the greater scaup duck ( Aythya marila, var. nearctica), called also broadbill, bluebill, blackhead, flock duck, flocking fowl, and raft duck; the lesser scaup duck ( A. affinis), called also little bluebill, river broadbill, and shuffler; the tufted, or ring-necked, scaup duck ( A. collaris), called also black jack, ringneck, ringbill, ringbill shuffler, etc. See Illust. of Ring-necked duck, under Ring-necked. The common European scaup, or mussel, duck ( A. marila), closely resembles the American variety.
Raft \Raft\, n. [Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. r[=a]fo, r[=a]vo, a beam, rafter, Icel. r[=a]f roof. Cf. Rafter, n.]
A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber, or the like, fastened together, either for their own collective conveyance on the water, or to serve as a support in conveying other things; a float.
A collection of logs, fallen trees, etc. (such as is formed in some Western rivers of the United States), which obstructs navigation. [U.S.]
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[Perhaps akin to raff a heap.] A large collection of people or things taken indiscriminately. [Slang, U. S.] ``A whole raft of folks.'' --W. D. Howells. Raft bridge.
A bridge whose points of support are rafts.
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A bridge that consists of floating timbers fastened together. Raft duck. [The name alludes to its swimming in dense flocks.] (Zo["o]l.)
The bluebill, or greater scaup duck; -- called also flock duck. See Scaup.
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The redhead.
Raft port (Naut.), a large, square port in a vessel's side for loading or unloading timber or other bulky articles; a timber or lumber port.