fire ship

American  

noun

1. a vessel loaded with combustibles and explosives, ignited, and set adrift to destroy an enemy's ships or constructions.

---

fire ship British  

noun

1. a vessel loaded with explosives and used, esp formerly, as a bomb by igniting it and directing it to drift among an enemy's warships

---

Etymology

Origin of fire ship

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fire ship

Somers died when the fire ship he commanded exploded in Tripoli Harbor.

From Washington Times ● May 27, 2017

The fire ship was ordered to go ahead of the rest of the vessels, and at the earliest moment to grapple with the largest of the Spanish ships.

From Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5 by Charles Herbert Sylvester

But the truth was afterwards told us, that a fire ship from the city had been sent across and had burned the bridge, cutting off the retreat of the English that way.

From A Heroine of France by Evelyn Everett-Green

"Then go along, Jack; and mind don't you go blazing away like a fire ship, and letting everybody know what's going on, or it'll be stopped."

From Varney the Vampire Or the Feast of Blood by Thomas Preskett Prest

One of the last wonders of the wrath of the Americans was poured out upon Tripoli in the shape of a fire ship.

From The Bark Covered House by William Nowlin