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fire ship

See more synonyms for fire ship on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a vessel loaded with combustibles and explosives, ignited, and set adrift to destroy an enemy's ships or constructions.
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Origin of fire ship

First recorded in 1580–90
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for fire ship

Historical Examples

  • It is a fire-ship,” cried Pepé, “with which they want to set fire to our island.

    Wood Rangers

    Mayne Reid

  • A vessel filled with combustibles, but rather for explosion than as a fire-ship.

    The Sailor's Word-Book

    William Henry Smyth

  • There could be no doubt that her intention must be to run aboard the Orpheus, and that she must be a fire-ship.

    Hurricane Hurry

    W.H.G. Kingston

  • The other fire-ship had been less calmly and skilfully managed.

    In Greek Waters

    G. A. Henty

  • He ran the enemy aboard to windward, lashed the fire-ship there, and fired the train.

    In Greek Waters

    G. A. Henty

British Dictionary definitions for fire ship

fire ship

noun
  1. a vessel loaded with explosives and used, esp formerly, as a bomb by igniting it and directing it to drift among an enemy's warships
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012