whaleboat

[ hweyl-boht, weyl- ]

/ ˈʰweɪlˌboʊt, ˈweɪl- /

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noun

a long, narrow boat designed for quick turning and use in rough seas: formerly used in whaling, now mainly for sea rescue.

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Origin of whaleboat

First recorded in 1665–75; whale¹ + boat

Words nearby whaleboat

whakairo, whakapapa, whale, whale away, whaleback, whaleboat, whalebone, whalebone whale, whale catcher, whaleman, Whalen

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

How to use whaleboat in a sentence

Karta and the beachcombers were leading in a whaleboat, which was being rowed very swiftly.
The Brothers-In-Law: A Tale Of The Equatorial Islands; and The Brass Gun Of The Buccaneers|Louis Becke
There's a fair anchorage inside the reef, but it takes a good man to land through the surf at high tide in a whaleboat.
Captain Scraggs|Peter B. Kyne
His swimming senses rallied a moment, and he discovered that he was lying in the bottom of a whaleboat.
Captain Scraggs|Peter B. Kyne
"Clear away the big whaleboat with two men to pull us ashore," said Mr. Gibney to the mate.
Captain Scraggs|Peter B. Kyne

We resumed our homeward journey in the whaleboat early the following morning.
Wanderings Among South Sea Savages And in Borneo and the Philippines|H. Wilfrid Walker

British Dictionary definitions for whaleboat

whaleboat

/ (ˈweɪlˌbəʊt) /

noun

a narrow boat from 20 to 30 feet long having a sharp prow and stern, formerly used in whalingAlso called: whaler

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