View synonyms for gunboat

gunboat

[ guhn-boht ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a small, armed warship of light draft, used in ports where the water is shallow.
any small ship carrying mounted guns. gun.

gunboat

/ ˈɡʌnˌbəʊt /

a small shallow-draft vessel carrying mounted guns and used by coastal patrols, etc

Origin of gunboat¹

First recorded in 1770–80; gun ¹ + boat

The rebels wished to advance from Lutao, but were kept back by the fire from the gunboat Maria Cristina.

Meanwhile, the Australian submarine has got up through the Narrows and has torpedoed a gunboat at Chunuk.

Subsequently a gunboat was sent to San Fernando de la Union to shell the town.

On that date the American gunboat Petrel and a large steam-launch suddenly appeared in Cebú harbour.

In January, 1899, a Spanish gunboat silently entered the port without the customary whistling and firing of salute.

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