raft /rɑːft $ ræft/ noun [countable]
[Sense 1, 3-4: Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old Norse; Origin: raptr 'large piece of wood, rafter']
[Sense 2: Date: 1800-1900; Origin: raff 'mixture of things' (17-19 centuries), influenced by ⇒ raft(1)]

1. a flat floating structure, usually made of pieces of wood tied together, used as a boat

2. a raft of something a large number of things:
The company has launched a whole raft of new software products.

3. a flat floating structure that you can sit on, jump from etc when you are swimming

4. a small flat rubber boat filled with air, used for example if a boat sinks

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

raft
noun
ADJ. life
VERB + RAFT build, make They built a raft of logs.
RAFT + VERB bob, float, sail The raft floated away down the river.
capsize, overturn
RAFT + NOUN race, racing
PREP. on/onto a/the ~ floating on a raft

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲