Coast — Defs

01 n. The side of a thing.

1.
The side of a thing.[Obs.]
2.
The exterior line, limit, or border of a country; frontier border.[Obs.]
“From the river, the river Euphrates, even to the uttermost sea, shall your coast be.” — Deut. xi. 24.
3.
The seashore, or land near it.
“He sees in English ships the Holland coast.” — Dryden.

“We the Arabian coast do know At distance, when the species blow.” — Waller.

Phrases & compounds

The coast is clear — the danger is over; no enemy in sight.

Coast guard — A body of men originally employed along the coast to prevent smuggling; now, under the control of the admiralty, drilled as a naval reserve.

Coast rat — a South African mammal (Bathyergus suillus), about the size of a rabbit, remarkable for its extensive burrows; -- called also sand mole.

Coast waiter — a customhouse officer who superintends the landing or shipping of goods for the coast trade.

02 v. i. To draw or keep near; to approach.

imp. & p. p. Coasted; p. pr. & vb. n. Coasting

1.
To draw or keep near; to approach.[Obs.]
“Anon she hears them chant it lustily, And all in haste she coasteth to the cry.” — Shak.
2.
To sail by or near the shore.
“The ancients coasted only in their navigation.” — Arbuthnot.
3.
To sail from port to port in the same country.
4.
To slide down hill; to slide on a sled, upon snow or ice.[Local, U. S.]

03 v. t. To draw near to; to approach; to keep near, or by the side of.

1.
To draw near to; to approach; to keep near, or by the side of.[Obs.]
2.
To sail by or near; to follow the coast line of.
“Nearchus, . . . not knowing the compass, was fain to coast that shore.” — Sir T. Browne.
3.
To conduct along a coast or river bank.[Obs.]
“The Indians . . . coasted me along the river.” — Hakluyt.