1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Shore

SHORE, a word meaning (1) the margin or edge of land when bordering on a large piece of water, whether of an ocean or sea or lake, “bank” taking its place when applied to the borders on either side of a river; for the legal aspect of the “shore,” i.e., the space bordering on tidal waters between high and low water mark, see Foreshore; (2) a prop of timber, used as a support, temporary or permanent, for a building when threatening to fall or during reconstruction (see Shoring), and more particularly a timber support placed against a ship’s side when building on the stocks, or when ready for launching on the slips; the props which are the final supports knocked away at the moment of launching are called the “dog-shores,” one of the very numerous uses of “dog” for mechanical devices of many kinds (see Ship-building). Both words are to be derived ultimately from the same source, viz., the root seen in “shear,” to cut off; in sense (1) the word means a part cut or “shorn” oii, an edge, and appears in M.Eng. as schore, from O. Eng. sceran, to cut, shear; in sense (2) it is of Scandinavian origin and is an adaptation of the Nor. skora, a piece of timber cut off to serve as a prop or support.