berm

berm
/berrm/, n.
1. Also, berme. Fort. a horizontal surface between the exterior slope of a rampart and the moat.
2. Also called bench. any level strip of ground at the summit or sides, or along the base, of a slope.
3. Also called backshore, beach berm. a nearly flat back portion of a beach, formed of material deposited by the action of the waves.
4. Chiefly Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. the bank of a canal or the shoulder of a road.
5. Chiefly Alaska. a mound of snow or dirt, as formed when clearing land.
6. a bank of earth placed against an exterior wall or walls of a house or other building as protection against extremes of temperature.
v.t.
7. to cover or protect with a berm: The side walls were bermed to a height of three feet.
[1720-30; < F berme < D berm; akin to BRIM1]

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      terrace of a beach that has formed in the backshore, above the water level at high tide. Berms are commonly found on beaches that have fairly coarse sand and are the result of the deposition of material by low-energy waves. They have a marked change of slope at their seaward edge and a flat or reverse-sloped platform that lies slightly higher than the mean high-water level. On broad beaches there may be three or more subparallel berms, each formed under different wave conditions. On some beaches a berm several metres wide may be laid down each summer and destroyed each winter by high storm waves.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Berm — Berme Berme, n. [F. berme, of German origin; cf. G. brame, br[ a]me, border, akin to E. brim.] 1. (Fort.) A narrow shelf or path between the bottom of a parapet and the ditch. [1913 Webster] 2. (Engineering) A ledge at the bottom of a bank or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • berm — [bʉrm] n. [Fr berme & Du berm < MDu baerm: for IE base see BROOM] 1. a ledge or space between the ditch and parapet in a fortification: also sp. berme ☆ 2. Dial. the shoulder of a road 3. a narrow ledge or path as at the top or bottom of a… …   English World dictionary

  • berm — narrow ledge, 1729, from Fr. berme (17c.), from O.Du. baerm edge of a dike, probably related to BRIM (Cf. brim) (q.v.). In U.S., 19c., also the name for the bank of a canal opposite the tow path …   Etymology dictionary

  • Berm — A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier separating two areas. Berm is a loanword from Dutch.cite book | year=1989 | title=Oxford English Dictionary | publisher=Oxford University Press | location=Oxford, England] HistoryIn mediaeval… …   Wikipedia

  • berm — noun Etymology: French berme, from Dutch berm strip of ground along a dike; akin to Middle English brimme brim Date: 1704 1. a narrow shelf, path, or ledge typically at the top or bottom of a slope; also a mound or wall of earth or sand < a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Berm — Der befestigte Sandwall (gepunktete Linie) verläuft quer durch die Westsahara …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • berm — 1. noun a) A narrow ledge or shelf, as along the top or bottom of a slope b) A raised bank or path, especially the bank of a canal opposite the towpath …   Wiktionary

  • berm — [[t]bɜrm[/t]] n. 1) gel geo a level strip of ground at the summit or sides, or along the base, of a slope 2) gel a nearly flat back portion of a beach formed of material deposited by the waves 3) the shoulder of a road 4) a mound of snow or dirt… …   From formal English to slang

  • berm — /bɜm/ (say berm) noun 1. Also, berme. Fortifications a narrow terrace between the rampart and moat; bench. 2. the ledge or shoulder alongside a road. 3. NZ a strip of grass between a roadway and footpath. 4. Geology a nearly horizontal portion of …  

  • berm — berma statusas Aprobuotas sritis statyba apibrėžtis Truputį pasvira neplati aikštelė gruntinių medžiagų užtvankos šlaite. Eismui skirta berma projektuojama pagal kelių tiesimo reikalavimus. atitikmenys: angl. berm vok. Berme rus. берма pranc.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

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