line of battle ship en · NOUN
Etymology
line of battle + ship
Meanings
-
(obsolete) A ship of the line or battleship.
I have said that our roof was decidedly Biblical in style; but to make it a dry one, something of a nautical character was added to its architecture, for on either side were scuppers, and it was slightly arched in the centre; it was commonly said that two masts, a bowsprit and a swivel gun would have transformed our dwelling into a line-of-battle ship[.]
1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 112:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| line-of-battle ship | alternative | lexicographic | |
| line of battle ships | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
battleship · battle ship · battle-ship · line ship · lineship · line-ship · liner