jolly boat

American  

noun

1. a light boat carried at the stern of a sailing vessel.

2. a small pleasure sailboat for use in sheltered waters.

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jolly boat British  

noun

1. a small boat used as a utility tender for a vessel

2. a small sailing boat used for pleasure

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Etymology

Origin of jolly boat

1720–30; jolly < Danish jolle yawl ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jolly boat

You had better take the jolly boat, and pick out twenty active fellows.

From Held Fast For England A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83) by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

Just get into the boat alongside, and row to the brig; and tell them to lower the jolly boat and send it alongside.

From Held Fast For England A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar (1779-83) by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)

This visit I returned by going on shore among them, taking only a few people with me in my jolly boat, that I might not alarm them by numbers.

From A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 12 Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time by Kerr, Robert

We saw the huge form of the lion contending with the 184 waves; attracted by the voices of men he was making every effort to reach the jolly boat.

From Hair Breadth Escapes Perilous incidents in the lives of sailors and travelers in Japan, Cuba, East Indies, etc., etc. by Arthur, T. S. (Timothy Shay)

The jolly boat was launched, and as it approached the land the man arose and coming down to the water's edge, shouted: "Be that you, Doctor?"

From The Story of Grenfell of the Labrador A Boy's Life of Wilfred T. Grenfell by Wallace, Dillon