submarine

American  

[suhb-muh-reen, suhb-muh-reen, suhb-muh-reen] / ˌsʌb məˈrin, ˈsʌb məˌrin, ˌsʌb məˈrin /

noun

1. a vessel that can be submerged and navigated under water, usually built for warfare and armed with torpedoes or guided missiles.

2. something situated or living under the surface of the sea, as a plant or animal.

3. Chiefly Northeastern and North Midland U.S. a hero sandwich.

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adjective

1. situated, occurring, operating, or living under the surface of the sea.

   a submarine mountain.

2. of, relating to, or carried on by a submarine or submarines.

   submarine warfare.

verb (used without object)

submarined, submarining

1. to participate in the operating of a submarine.

2. to move or slide under something.

3. Slang.

   1. to be thrown under the steering wheel of the vehicle one is driving during a frontal crash.

   2. to be thrown out of one's seat belt in such a crash.

verb (used with object)

submarined, submarining

1. to attack or sink by submarine.

submarine British  

/ ˈsʌbməˌriːn, ˌsʌbməˈriːn /

noun

1. Often shortened to: sub.  a vessel, esp one designed for warfare, capable of operating for protracted periods below the surface of the sea

2. (modifier)

   1. of or relating to a submarine

      a submarine captain

   2. occurring or situated below the surface of the sea

      a submarine cable

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Regionalisms

See hero sandwich.

Other Word Forms

• antisubmarine adjective

Etymology

Origin of submarine

1640–50; 1895–1900 submarine for def. 1; sub- + marine

Example Sentences

Many nightclubs contain the fuel load of an entire residential condominium, the ignition sources of an industrial site, and the evacuation constraints of a submarine.

From The Wall Street Journal

US troops have been stationed in South Korea for decades in case of an attack from the North, and last year the two sides agreed to cooperate on building nuclear-powered submarines.

From BBC

In fire-engineering terms, many nightclubs contain the fuel load of an entire residential condominium, the ignition sources of an industrial site, and the evacuation constraints of a submarine.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chinese research submarines for the first time traveled thousands of feet beneath the Arctic ice this summer, a technical feat with chilling military and commercial implications for America and its allies.

From The Wall Street Journal

They captured only a brief glimpse of one blue shark on their submarine cameras.

From BBC

Related Words

• sub
• torpedo