fire ship

American  

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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fire ship British  

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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Etymology

Origin of fire ship

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

Somers died when the fire ship he commanded exploded in Tripoli Harbor.

From Washington Times • May 27, 2017

Burying himself in the water to the nose he sent his fire ship down the stream toward the two scows intending for it to enter just between them.

From The Keepers of the Trail A Story of the Great Woods by Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)

He placed one of these in command of each fire ship, and gave him four of the sailors.

From A Knight of the White Cross : a tale of the siege of Rhodes by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

Night had fallen, and the Aquila blazed like a fire ship.

From The Rim of the Desert by Anderson, Ada Woodruff

Giving his fire ship a mighty shove he sent it directly between the scows and then he made a great dive down and away.

From The Keepers of the Trail A Story of the Great Woods by Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)