pier

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A platform extending from a shore over water and supported by piles or pillars, used to secure, protect, and provide access to ships or boats.
2. n. Such a structure used predominantly for entertainment.
3. n. A supporting structure at the junction of connecting spans of a bridge.
4. n. Architecture Any of various vertical supporting structures, especially:
5. n. Architecture A pillar, generally rectangular in cross section, supporting an arch or roof.
6. n. Architecture The portion of a wall between windows, doors, or other openings.
7. n. Architecture A reinforcing structure that projects from a wall; a buttress.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A mole or jetty carried out into the sea, to serve as an embankment to protect vessels from the open sea, to form a harbor, etc.
2. n. A projecting quay, wharf, or other landing-place.
3. n. One of the supports of the spans of a bridge, or any structure of similar character.
4. n. In architecture or building:
5. n. The solid support from which an arch springs. See first cut under arch.
6. n. In medieval architecture, a large pillar or shaft; specifically, a compound or a square pillar.
7. n. One of the solid parts between openings in a wall, such as doors and windows.
8. n. The wall or post, of square or other form, to which a gate or door is hung.
9. n. In a physical laboratory or observatory, a structure, generally of masonry, designed by its stability to prevent vibration in instruments which are supported by it.

Wiktionary

1. n. A raised platform built from the shore out over water, supported on piles; used to secure, or provide access to shipping; a jetty.
2. n. A similar structure, especially at a seaside resort, used to provide entertainment.
3. n. A structure that projects tangentially from the shoreline to accommodate ships; often double-sided.
4. n. A structure supporting the junction between two spans of a bridge.
5. n. A rectangular pillar, or similar structure, that supports an arch, wall or roof.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Any detached mass of masonry, whether insulated or supporting one side of an arch or lintel, as of a bridge; the piece of wall between two openings.
2. n. Any additional or auxiliary mass of masonry used to stiffen a wall. See buttress.
3. n. A projecting wharf or landing place.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. (architecture) a vertical supporting structure (as a portion of wall between two doors or windows)
2. n. a support for two adjacent bridge spans
3. n. a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats