radeau

American  

[ruh-doh] / rəˈdoʊ /

noun

plural

radeaux

1. an armed scow, variously rigged, used as a floating battery during the American Revolution.

---

Etymology

Origin of radeau

1750–60; < French: raft < Provençal radel < Vulgar Latin *ratellus, diminutive of Latin ratis raft

Example Sentences

He therefore judged it necessary to build a brigantine, a radeau, and a sloop of 16 guns.

From The Loyalists of America and Their Times, Vol. 1 of 2. From 1620-1816 by Ryerson, Egerton

There were also a radeau, the Thunderer, and a large gondola, the Loyal Convert, both heavily armed; but, being equally heavy of movement, they do not appear to have played any important part.

From The Major Operations of the Navies in the War of American Independence by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)

Les envoyes en firent leur rapport au roi, qui, rempli d'etonnement, se rendit avec sa cour sur un grand radeau a la place de la mer ou se trouvait cette tige merveilleuse.

From Diary of a Pedestrian in Cashmere and Thibet by Knight, William Henry

In this statement the radeau and gondola have not been included, because of their unmanageableness.

From The Major Operations of the Navies in the War of American Independence by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)

Then three vessels under sail, and one at anchor above Split Rock, and behind it the radeau, Thunderer.

From The Student's Life of Washington; Condensed from the Larger Work of Washington Irving For Young Persons and for the Use of Schools by Irving, Washington