Q-ship en · NOUN
Etymology
Short for Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland, the home port of the British Q-ships, when they were first implemented in World War I.
Meanings
-
(historical) A merchant ship with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks.
Q-ships were usually armed with one 4-inch and two 12-pounder guns. These were hidden behind hinged bulwarks, inside false superstructures and false deck cargoes, or under dummy lifeboats.
2005, Spencer Tucker, Priscilla Mary Roberts, World War I: Encyclopedia, ABC-Clio, →ISBN, page 956:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q-ships | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Hypernyms
armed merchantman · merchantman