noun
- wooden platforms or wharves used for loading and unloading ships, especially for coal
Usage: nautical; British
Examples
- The coal was transported from the mine to the staithes by railway.
- Ships waited at the staithes to load their cargo.
- The old staithes along the river were built in the 19th century.
- Workers repaired the wooden staithes before the next shipment arrived.
- The staithes provided essential infrastructure for the coal trade.