ship
1a vessel, especially a large oceangoing one propelled by sails or engines.
Nautical.
a sailing vessel square-rigged on all of three or more masts, having jibs, staysails, and a spanker on the aftermost mast.
Now Rare. a bark having more than three masts.: Compare shipentine.
the crew and, sometimes, the passengers of a vessel: The captain gave shore leave to the whole ship.
an airship, airplane, or spacecraft.
to put or take on board a ship or other means of transportation; to send or transport by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.
Nautical. to take in (water) over the side, as a vessel does when waves break over it.
to bring (an object) into a ship or boat.
to engage (someone) for service on a ship.
to fix in a ship or boat in the proper place for use.
to place (an oar) in proper position for rowing.: Compare boat (def. 10).
to send away: They shipped the kids off to camp for the summer.
to go on board or travel by ship; embark.
to engage to serve on a ship.
to be sent or transported by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.: Both packages shipped this morning.
to permit of being transported by any of these means:Fresh raspberries do not ship well.
ship out,
to leave, especially for another country or assignment: He said goodbye to his family and shipped out for the West Indies.
to send away, especially to another country or assignment.
Informal. to quit, resign, or be fired from a job: Shape up or ship out!
Idioms about ship
jump ship,
to escape from a ship, especially one in foreign waters or a foreign port, as to avoid further service as a sailor or to request political asylum.
to withdraw support or membership from a group, organization, cause, etc.; defect or desert: Some of the more liberal members have jumped ship.
run a tight ship, to exercise a close, strict control over a ship's crew, a company, an organization, or the like.
when one's ship comes in / home, when one's fortune is assured: She'll buy a house when her ship comes in.
Origin of ship
1Other words from ship
- ship·less, adjective
- ship·less·ly, adverb
- mis·ship, verb, mis·shipped, mis·ship·ping.
- pre·ship, verb (used with object), pre·shipped, pre·ship·ping.
Words that may be confused with ship
Other definitions for ship (2 of 3)
a romantic relationship between fictional characters, as in fan fiction, or between famous people, whether or not the romance actually exists in the book, show, etc., or in real life:the TV show's most popular ships.
to take an interest in or hope for a romantic relationship between (fictional characters or famous people), whether or not the romance actually exists: I'm shipping those guys—they would make a great couple!
Origin of ship
2Other definitions for -ship (3 of 3)
a native English suffix of nouns denoting condition, character, office, skill, etc.: clerkship; friendship; statesmanship.
Origin of -ship
3Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use ship in a sentence
A man aims a garden hose at a massive wall of flames, then almost immediately drops it and says, “Nope, sorry, time to abandon ship,” as if apologizing to the inferno itself.
'Rebuilding Paradise' Is a Portrait of Resilience | Erin Berger | November 19, 2020 | Outside OnlineHonor launched in 2013 and ships over 70 million units annually, according to Huawei’s Tuesday statement.
U.S. sanctions force Huawei to sell its budget smartphone brand | Naomi Xu Elegant | November 17, 2020 | FortuneThe first stage of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed on a drone ship about nine minutes after lift off.
Why SpaceX’s Sunday launch represents a milestone | Claire Zillman, reporter | November 16, 2020 | FortuneThey infected 11 others on the flight — none of whom had been on the cruise ship — with a strain of the virus that hadn’t yet been identified in Australia.
How risky is air travel in the pandemic? Here’s what the science says. | Brian Resnick | November 12, 2020 | VoxIn my column yesterday, I mistakenly wrote that Howard Richard Colbert died when his ship, the USS Leviathan, was torpedoed.
The pandemic isn’t stopping D.C.’s annual history conference | John Kelly | November 11, 2020 | Washington Post
Champagnes are only required to be stored for 15 months before being shipped.
When Lewis was shipped off to Vietnam, his son was just three months old, and the timing of the assignment worried Lewis.
It was then shipped to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and sold for 50 cents on the dollar.
The Flying Sorcery of Dr. Strange: Benedict Cumberbatch Is Marvel's Most Bizarre Magician | Rich Goldstein | December 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis powder can be shipped anywhere and then reconstituted—just add water, as if it were instant coffee.
Powdered Measles Vaccine Could Be Huge for Developing World | Kent Sepkowitz | December 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTStalin, now one of the top men in the party, was sent there by Lenin to ensure that grain was getting shipped to Moscow.
Kotkin Biography Reveals Stalin's Evil Pragmatism | William O’Connor | November 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTPrimo de Rivera, who believed the rebellion to be fast on the wane, shipped back to Spain 7,000 troops.
The Philippine Islands | John ForemanIn Cuba its culture commenced in 1580, and from this and the other islands large quantities were shipped to Europe.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.I shipped for a voyage to Japan and China, and spent several more years trying to penetrate the forbidden fastnesses of Tibet.
The Boarded-Up House | Augusta Huiell SeamanIt sent gold to Paris as fast as it could be shipped and insured, and so seems to have liquidated its debt.
Readings in Money and Banking | Chester Arthur PhillipsHis father has told him that nothing else in his island home is shipped in such quantities as Manila hemp.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton Wade
British Dictionary definitions for ship (1 of 2)
/ (ʃɪp) /
a vessel propelled by engines or sails for navigating on the water, esp a large vessel that cannot be carried aboard another, as distinguished from a boat
nautical a large sailing vessel with three or more square-rigged masts
to place, transport, or travel on any conveyance, esp aboard a ship: ship the microscopes by aeroplane; can we ship tomorrow?
(tr) nautical to take (water) over the side
to bring or go aboard a vessel: to ship oars
(tr often foll by off) informal to send away, often in order to be rid of: they shipped the children off to boarding school
(intr) to engage to serve aboard a ship: I shipped aboard a Liverpool liner
informal (tr) to concede (a goal): Celtic have shipped eight goals in three away matches
Origin of ship
1- See also ship out
Derived forms of ship
- shippable, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for -ship (2 of 2)
indicating state or condition: fellowship
indicating rank, office, or position: lordship
indicating craft or skill: horsemanship; workmanship; scholarship
Origin of -ship
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with ship
In addition to the idioms beginning with ship
- ship of state
- ship out
- ships that pass in the night
also see:
- desert a sinking ship
- enough to sink a ship
- shape up (or ship out)
- tight ship
- when one's ship comes in
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse