man-of-war
Americannoun
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a warship
Etymology
Origin of man-of-war
1400–50 in sense “soldier”; late Middle English
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By-the-wind-sailors are related to jellyfish and the Portuguese man-of-war, which can produce a painful sting, but their tentacles are mostly harmless, Pernet said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2023
A: Although Portuguese man-of-war look like jellyfish, they are technically classified as Physalia.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 10, 2022
A news story of the day claimed that on the way to Nassau, Bonnet was involved in a fight with a Spanish man-of-war and his ship was damaged and Bonnet seriously wounded.
From Salon • May 21, 2022
“I feel bad that they took that kind of chance, probably for nothing,” said Januik, as a highly poisonous Portuguese man-of-war swam past his dock.
From Washington Post • Apr. 9, 2022
But the sly dog dived, came up under the man-of-war, scuttled her, and down she went, with all sail set, ‘To the bottom of the sea, sea, sea’ where...”
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
