/jɒt/, /jɑːt/, /jɑt/
OriginCirca 1557; variant of yaught, earlier yeaghe (“light, fast-sailing ship”), from Dutch jacht (“yacht; hunt”), in older spelling jaght(e), short for jaghtschip (“light sailing vessel, fast pirate ship”, literally “pursuit ship”), compound of jacht and schip (“ship”).
In the 16th century the Dutch built light, fast ships to chase the ships of pirates and smugglers from the coast. The ship was introduced to England in 1660 when the Dutch East India Company presented one to King Charles II, who used it as a pleasure boat, after which it was copied by British shipbuilders as a pleasure craft for wealthy gentlemen.
- A slick and light ship for making pleasure trips or racing on water, having sails but often motor-powered. At times used as a residence offshore on a dock.
“Would you like to go sailing on my uncle’s yacht?”
“You are a true yachtsman! Are you a member of the local yacht club?”
“The skipper Mr. Cooke had hired at Far Harbor was a God-fearing man with a luke warm interest in his new billet and employer, and had only been prevailed upon to take charge of the yacht after the off”
- Any vessel used for private, noncommercial purposes.
““I don’t mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly, idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera,[…], the chlorotic squatters”
“The megayacht concept is equipped with its own port with enough space for a second yacht measuring up to 30 meters, as well as three swimming pools. […] The market is projected to reach a value of $10”
- intransitiveTo sail, voyage, or race in a yacht.
- A type of dice game, similar to the Latin American game Generala.
Formsyachts(plural) · yachts(present, singular, third-person) · yachting(participle, present) · yachted(participle, past) · yachted(past)