ark

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Bible The chest containing the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets, carried by the Hebrews during their desert wanderings. Also called Ark of the Covenant.
2. n. Judaism The Holy Ark.
3. n. Bible The boat built by Noah for survival during the Flood.
4. n. Nautical A large, commodious boat.
5. n. A shelter or refuge.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. An old spelling of arc, a bow, arch.
2. n. A chest, box, coffer, or other close receptacle; a bin or hutch: as, a meal-ark.
3. n. In Scripture: The repository of the covenant or tables of the law. The ark was made of shittim-wood, overlaid within and without with gold. It was about 3 3/4 feet long by 2 1/4 feet high and broad, and over it were placed the golden covering or mercy-seat and the two cherubim. The same name is given in modern Jewish synagogues to a repository for the rolls or books used in divine service.
4. n. The large floating vessel in which, according to the account in the Old Testament, Noah and his family were preserved during the deluge.
5. n. The vessel of bulrushes in which the infant Moses was laid.
6. n. In the Ethiopic Ch., a sacred chest, called the tabout, serving as an altar.
7. n. A large boat used on western American rivers to transport produce to market.
8. n. In zoology, a name common to the bivalve mollusks of the family Arcidœ; an ark-shell.
9. n. An Arabian measure of capacity, equal to the Spanish fanega, or 58 quarts; also, a measure of three fourths of this capacity, or 43 quarts.
10. To inclose in an ark.

Wiktionary

1. n. A large box with a flat lid.
2. n. Judaism, Christianity, Islam The ship built by Noah to save his family and a collection of animals from the deluge.
3. n. Something affording protection; safety, shelter, refuge
4. n. A spacious type of boat with a flat bottom.
5. n. Judaism A consecrated container.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. obsolete A chest, or coffer.
2. n. (Jewish Hist.) The oblong chest of acacia wood, overlaid with gold, which supported the mercy seat with its golden cherubs, and occupied the most sacred place in the sanctuary. In it Moses placed the two tables of stone containing the ten commandments. Called also the Ark of the Covenant.
3. n. The large, chestlike vessel in which Noah and his family were preserved during the Deluge. Gen. vi. Hence: Any place of refuge.
4. n. A large flatboat used on Western American rivers to transport produce to market.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a boat built by Noah to save his family and animals from the flood
2. n. (Judaism) sacred chest where the ancient Hebrews kept the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments