ship

[ ship ]

/ ʃɪp /

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See synonyms for: ship / shipped / shipping on Thesaurus.com

noun

a vessel, especially a large oceangoing one propelled by sails or engines.

Nautical.

a sailing vessel square-rigged on all of three or more masts, having jibs, staysails, and a spanker on the aftermost mast.
Now Rare. a bark having more than three masts.Compare shipentine.

the crew and, sometimes, the passengers of a vessel: The captain gave shore leave to the whole ship.

an airship, airplane, or spacecraft.

verb (used with object), shipped, ship·ping.

to put or take on board a ship or other means of transportation; to send or transport by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.

Nautical. to take in (water) over the side, as a vessel does when waves break over it.

to bring (an object) into a ship or boat.

to engage (someone) for service on a ship.

to fix in a ship or boat in the proper place for use.

to place (an oar) in proper position for rowing.Compare boat (def. 10).

to send away: They shipped the kids off to camp for the summer.

verb (used without object), shipped, ship·ping.

to go on board or travel by ship; embark.

to engage to serve on a ship.

to be sent or transported by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.: Both packages shipped this morning.
to permit of being transported by any of these means:Fresh raspberries do not ship well.

Verb Phrases

ship out,

to leave, especially for another country or assignment: He said goodbye to his family and shipped out for the West Indies.
to send away, especially to another country or assignment.
Informal. to quit, resign, or be fired from a job: Shape up or ship out!

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about ship

jump ship,

to escape from a ship, especially one in foreign waters or a foreign port, as to avoid further service as a sailor or to request political asylum.
to withdraw support or membership from a group, organization, cause, etc.; defect or desert:Some of the more liberal members have jumped ship.

run a tight ship, to exercise a close, strict control over a ship's crew, a company, an organization, or the like.

when one's ship comes in / home, when one's fortune is assured: She'll buy a house when her ship comes in.

Origin of ship

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English noun scip, scipp; cognate with Dutch schip, German Schiff, Old Norse, Gothic skip; verb derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM ship

ship·less, adjectiveship·less·ly, adverbmis·ship, verb, mis·shipped, mis·ship·ping.pre·ship, verb (used with object), pre·shipped, pre·ship·ping.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ship

barge, boat, canoe, cruise ship, sailboat, ship , yacht

Other definitions for ship (2 of 3)

ship²

[ ship ]

/ ʃɪp /

Slang.

noun

a romantic relationship between fictional characters, as in fan fiction, or between famous people, whether or not the romance actually exists in the book, show, etc., or in real life:the TV show's most popular ships.

verb (used with or without object), shipped, ship·ping.

to take an interest in or hope for a romantic relationship between (fictional characters or famous people), whether or not the romance actually exists: I'm shipping those guys—they would make a great couple!

Origin of ship

First recorded in 1995–2000; shortening of relationship

Other definitions for ship (3 of 3)

-ship

a native English suffix of nouns denoting condition, character, office, skill, etc.: clerkship; friendship; statesmanship.

Origin of -ship

Middle English, Old English -scipe; akin to shape; cognate with dialectal Frisian, dialectal Dutch schip

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ship in a sentence

A man aims a garden hose at a massive wall of flames, then almost immediately drops it and says, “Nope, sorry, time to abandon ship,” as if apologizing to the inferno itself.
'Rebuilding Paradise' Is a Portrait of Resilience|Erin Berger|November 19, 2020|Outside Online
Honor launched in 2013 and ships over 70 million units annually, according to Huawei’s Tuesday statement.
U.S. sanctions force Huawei to sell its budget smartphone brand|Naomi Xu Elegant|November 17, 2020|Fortune
The first stage of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed on a drone ship about nine minutes after lift off.
Why SpaceX’s Sunday launch represents a milestone|Claire Zillman, reporter|November 16, 2020|Fortune
They infected 11 others on the flight — none of whom had been on the cruise ship — with a strain of the virus that hadn’t yet been identified in Australia.
How risky is air travel in the pandemic? Here’s what the science says.|Brian Resnick|November 12, 2020|Vox

In my column yesterday, I mistakenly wrote that Howard Richard Colbert died when his ship, the USS Leviathan, was torpedoed.
The pandemic isn’t stopping D.C.’s annual history conference|John Kelly|November 11, 2020|Washington Post
Champagnes are only required to be stored for 15 months before being shipped.
Champagne: You’re Drinking It All Wrong|Kayleigh Kulp|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When Lewis was shipped off to Vietnam, his son was just three months old, and the timing of the assignment worried Lewis.
A West Point MVP Who Never Played a Down|Nicolaus Mills|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was then shipped to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and sold for 50 cents on the dollar.
The Flying Sorcery of Dr. Strange: Benedict Cumberbatch Is Marvel's Most Bizarre Magician|Rich Goldstein|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This powder can be shipped anywhere and then reconstituted—just add water, as if it were instant coffee.
Powdered Measles Vaccine Could Be Huge for Developing World|Kent Sepkowitz|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Stalin, now one of the top men in the party, was sent there by Lenin to ensure that grain was getting shipped to Moscow.
Kotkin Biography Reveals Stalin's Evil Pragmatism|William O’Connor|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Primo de Rivera, who believed the rebellion to be fast on the wane, shipped back to Spain 7,000 troops.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
In Cuba its culture commenced in 1580, and from this and the other islands large quantities were shipped to Europe.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
I shipped for a voyage to Japan and China, and spent several more years trying to penetrate the forbidden fastnesses of Tibet.
The Boarded-Up House|Augusta Huiell Seaman
It sent gold to Paris as fast as it could be shipped and insured, and so seems to have liquidated its debt.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
His father has told him that nothing else in his island home is shipped in such quantities as Manila hemp.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin|Mary Hazelton Wade

British Dictionary definitions for ship (1 of 2)

ship

/ (ʃɪp) /

noun

a vessel propelled by engines or sails for navigating on the water, esp a large vessel that cannot be carried aboard another, as distinguished from a boat

nautical a large sailing vessel with three or more square-rigged masts

the crew of a ship

short for airship, spaceship

informal any vehicle or conveyance

when one's ship comes in when one has become successful or wealthy

verb ships, shipping or shipped

to place, transport, or travel on any conveyance, esp aboard a shipship the microscopes by aeroplane; can we ship tomorrow?

(tr) nautical to take (water) over the side

to bring or go aboard a vesselto ship oars

(tr often foll by off) informal to send away, often in order to be rid ofthey shipped the children off to boarding school

(intr) to engage to serve aboard a shipI shipped aboard a Liverpool liner

informal (tr) to concede (a goal)Celtic have shipped eight goals in three away matches

Derived forms of ship

shippable, adjective

Word Origin for ship

Old English scip; related to Old Norse skip, Old High German skif ship, scipfī cup

British Dictionary definitions for ship (2 of 2)

-ship

suffix forming nouns

indicating state or conditionfellowship

indicating rank, office, or positionlordship

indicating craft or skillhorsemanship; workmanship; scholarship

Word Origin for -ship

Old English -scipe; compare shape

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with ship

ship

In addition to the idioms beginning with ship

ship of state
ship out
ships that pass in the night

also see:

desert a sinking ship
enough to sink a ship
shape up (or ship out)
tight ship
when one's ship comes in

ship

Idioms about ship

Origin of ship

OTHER WORDS FROM ship

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ship

Other definitions for ship (2 of 3)

Origin of ship

Other definitions for ship (3 of 3)

Origin of -ship

Words related to ship

How to use ship in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ship (1 of 2)

Derived forms of ship

Word Origin for ship

British Dictionary definitions for ship (2 of 2)

Word Origin for -ship

Other Idioms and Phrases with ship