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
Some refugees wait for days on the ships before setting sail.
Once the ships that rescued them dock at port, they disembark.
Inside the Smuggling Networks Flooding Europe with Refugees | Barbie Latza Nadeau | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut the ships deployed already have been involved in the rescue of more than 1,000 people during their first month of operation.
Inside the Smuggling Networks Flooding Europe with Refugees | Barbie Latza Nadeau | December 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWe made big things like steel for ships and tractors and turbines for hydroelectric plants.
On August 22, some 88 ships set sail for the southern point of Brooklyn allowing more than 22,000 troops to begin their attack.
The British Royals Reinvade Brooklyn: William and Kate Come Watch Basketball on Historic Battle Site | Justin Jones | December 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
There is cause for alarm when they bring one hundred and ten ships into these seas without any means of resistance on our part.
They landed more than six hundred of their men and more than one thousand Moros of the country, who also came in their ships.
He has secured the release of certain Spanish prisoners, and is building two ships.
He explains the late departure of the ships for Nueva España, and the consequent mortality reported on one of them.
The stratagem worked, because the ships went about from one tack to the other without being seen by the Dutch.
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.
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