fording

/ˈfɔrdɪŋ/
verb
  1. Present participle of ford: crossing a river or stream by walking or driving through the water.
    • We spent the afternoon fording several small streams on our way to the campsite.
    • The truck was fording the shallow river when it hit a hidden rock.
    • The hikers are fording the creek, holding their backpacks above their heads.
noun
  1. A shallow place in a river or stream where people, animals, or vehicles can cross by walking or driving through the water.
    • The old map showed a fording where the river was shallow enough to cross safely.
    • We stopped at the fording to let the horses drink before continuing our journey.
    • After the heavy rains, the fording became too deep to use.
  2. The act of crossing a river or stream by walking or driving through the water.
    • The soldiers practiced fording techniques during their training exercises.
    • Careful fording is necessary to avoid getting stuck in the muddy riverbed.
    • The fording of the river took longer than expected because the current was strong.
Synonyms