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port

pɔːrt

One person carrying a load unlocks ten words

The picture A person shouldering a load and walking it from one place to another. Only the cargo and the destination change. port carries it along with you; mit lets go and lets it travel alone.

Word roots

Where the picture shows up in port

  1. carried out

    We export rice to Japan.

    wiː ˈekspɔːrt raɪs tuː dʒəˈpæn

    We ship rice out to Japan.

    Sacks of rice going onto a ship and out past the border.

  2. light enough to carry

    Is this heater portable?

    ɪz ðɪs ˈhiːtər ˈpɔːrtəbəl

    Can this heater be carried around?

    The heater picked up in one hand and walked into another room.

  3. carrying news back

    Report it to your manager right away.

    rɪˈpɔːrt ɪt tuː jɔːr ˈmænɪdʒər raɪt əˈweɪ

    Tell your manager about it straight away.

    What you saw on the floor, carried back and set down in front of the manager.

    re (back) + port (carry) — you carry the news back to someone.

  4. carrying from underneath

    Can you support the ladder for a second?

    kən juː səˈpɔːrt ðə ˈlædər fɔːr ə ˈsekənd

    Could you hold the ladder steady a moment?

    A hand under the ladder, taking half of its weight off you.

    sub (under) + port: taking part of the weight. Backing a person is the same picture.

  5. carrying across

    Transport costs went up again.

    ˈtrænspɔːrt kɔːsts went ʌp əˈɡen

    Shipping costs have gone up again.

    A loaded truck crossing from this city to that one.

All of it in one picture

port is a loaded back. Carry the load out of the country and it is export; make it light enough for one hand and it is portable; carry the news back and it is a report. Take part of someone else's load from underneath and it is support; haul it from here to there and it is transport. Rice, news or another person's weight — the picture stays one person walking with a load.

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