Port vs Import - What's the difference?

port | import |

As a proper noun port

is .

As a noun import is

import (the act of importing).

port

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) port, from (etyl) (and thus distantly cognate with ford).

Noun

(en noun)

A place on the coast at which ships can shelter, or dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.

* Shakespeare

peering in maps for ports and piers and roads

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= The new masters and commanders , passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port' does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the ' port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.}}

A town or city containing such a place.

(nautical, uncountable) The left-hand side of a vessel, including aircraft, when one is facing the front. Port does not change based on the orientation of the person aboard the craft.

Synonyms

* (place where ships dock) harbour, haven * (town or city containing such a place) harbour city, harbour town, port city * (left-hand side of a vessel) larboard, left

Antonyms

* (right-hand side of a vessel) starboard

Derived terms

* airport, seaport, spaceport * port authority, port of call, first port of call * Newport * outport

Adjective

(-)

(nautical) Of or relating to port, the left-hand side of a vessel.

on the port side

Synonyms

* larboard, left

Antonyms

* starboard

Verb

(en verb)

(nautical, transitive, chiefly, imperative) To turn or put to the left or larboard side of a ship; said of the helm.

Port your helm!

Etymology 2

From (etyl) , reinforced in (etyl), from (etyl) porte.

Noun

(en noun)

An entryway or gate.

* 1485 , (Thomas Malory), Le Morte Darthur , Book X:

And whan he cam to the porte of the pavelon, Sir Palomydes seyde an hyghe, ‘Where art thou, Sir Trystram de Lyones?’

* 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.1:

Long were it to describe the goodly frame, / And stately port of Castle Joyeous [...].

Him I accuse/The city ports by this hath enter'd'' —

And from their ivory port the Cherubim,/Forth issuing at the accustomed hour,'' —

An opening or doorway in the side of a ship, especially for boarding or loading; an embrasure through which a cannon may be discharged; a porthole.

...her ports being within sixteen inches of the water... —

(curling, bowls) A space between two stones wide enough for a delivered stone or bowl to pass through.

An opening where a connection (such as a pipe) is made.

(computing) A logical or physical construct in and from which data are transferred.

(computing) A female connector of an electronic device, into which a cable's male connector can be inserted.

Derived terms

* porthole * chase port * sally port * (computing) port forwarding, accelerated graphics port, serial port, USB port

Etymology 3

From (etyl) porter, from (etyl) . Akin to transport, portable.

Verb

(en verb)
(obsolete) To carry, bear, or transport. See porter.

They are easily ported by boat into other shires.'' — , ''The History of the Worthies of England

(military) To hold or carry (a weapon) with both hands so that it lays diagonally across the front of the body, with the barrel or similar part near the left shoulder and the right hand grasping the small of the stock; or, to throw (the weapon) into this position on command.

Port arms!

...the angelic squadron...began to hem him round with ported spears.'' —

(computing, video games) To adapt, modify, or create a new version of, a program so that it works on a different platform.

(telephony) To carry or transfer an existing telephone number from one telephone service provider to another.

Derived terms

* porter * portage * port-o-john, port-o-potty * portly

Noun

(en noun)
Something used to carry a thing, especially a frame for wicks in candle-making.

(archaic) The manner in which a person carries himself; bearing; deportment; carriage. See also portance.

* late 14th c. , :

And of his port as meeke as is a mayde.

* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.iii:

Those same with stately grace, and princely port / She taught to tread, when she her selfe would grace

* South

the necessities of pomp, grandeur, and a suitable port in the world

(military) The position of a weapon when ported; a rifle position executed by throwing the weapon diagonally across the front of the body, with the right hand grasping the small of the stock and the barrel sloping upward and crossing the point of the left shoulder.

(computing) A program that has been adapted, modified, or recoded so that it works on a different platform from the one for which it was created; the act of this adapting.

Gamers can't wait until a port of the title is released on the new system.

The latest port of the database software is the worst since we made the changeover.

(computing, BSD) A set of files used to build and install a binary executable file from the source code of an application.

Derived terms

* (military) at the high port

Etymology 4

Named from (etyl) Oporto, a city in Portugal from whence the wines were originally shipped.

Noun

(en noun) (Port wine)
A type of very sweet fortified wine, mostly dark red, traditionally made in Portugal.

Synonyms

* (fortified wine) porto, port wine

Etymology 5

Noun

(en noun)
(Australia, Queensland, northern New South Wales, colloquial) A schoolbag or suitcase.

* 2001 , Sally de Dear, The House on Pig Island , page 8,

As they left the classroom, Jennifer pointed at the shelves lining the veranda. “Put your port in there.”

“What?” asked Penny.

“Your port - your school bag, silly. It goes in there.”
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import
English

Etymology 1
(verb) From (etyl) importen, from (etyl) importer, from (etyl) .
Noun
(wikipedia import)
(countable) Something brought in from an exterior source, especially for sale or trade.

(uncountable) The practice of importing.

(uncountable) Significance, importance.

Synonyms
* (significance) importancy, importance, meaning, significance, weight
Antonyms
* (practice of importing) export * (something brought in from a foreign country) export * insignificance
Verb
(en verb)
To bring (something) in from a foreign country, especially for sale or trade.

To load a file into a software application from another version or system.

How can I import files from older versions of this application?

Quotations
* (English Citations of "import")
Derived terms
* importable * important * importer * importation
Antonyms
* (bring in from a foreign country) export
Etymology 2
From (etyl) importare, and (etyl) importer, from (etyl) .
Verb
(en verb)
To be important; to be significant; to be of consequence.

* 1661 , Thomas Salusbury:

See how much it importeth to learn to take Time by the Fore-Top.''

To be of importance to (someone or something).

* 1593 , Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost :

This Letter is mistooke: it importeth none here: It is writ to laquenetta.

* Dryden

If I endure it, what imports it you?

To be incumbent on (someone to do something).

* 1762 , David Hume, The History of England :

It imports us to get all the aid and assistance we can.

To be important or crucial to (that something happen).

* 1819 , Shelley, "The Cenci":

It much imports your house That all should be made clear.

To mean, signify.

* Hooker

Every petition always import a multitude of speakers together.

(archaic) To express, to imply.

References
* English heteronyms ----