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Definition of Fireship
1. Noun. (nautical) A sailing ship that has been set alight and left to drift into an opposing fleet. Famously used by Englishman Sir Francis Drake when fighting the Spanish Armada of 1588. ¹
2. Noun. (context: vulgar slang) A diseased prostitute. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Fireship
1. a burning ship sent among the enemy's ships [n -S]
Lexicographical Neighbors of Fireship
Literary usage of Fireship
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. A Brief Historical Relation of State Affairs from September 1678 to April 1714 by Narcissus Luttrell (1857)
"... who sunk the Seaford, and took the Blaze fireship; the other three are come
into port much disabled, having 1 20 men killed and wounded: the merchant ..."
2. The English Factories in India, 1618-1621: A Calendar of Documents in the by William Foster (1906)
"The attempt on the Portuguese fleet with a fireship proved unsuccessful. (2 //.)
ROBERT HUGHES AND JOHN PARKER AT PATNA TO THE PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL AT ..."
3. Publications of the Navy Records Society by Navy Records Society (Great Britain) (1904)
"He is to send copies to the lord treasurer and the writer. List of ships: French
Ruby, Francis frigate, Francis fireship, ..."
4. A General Pronouncing and Explanatory Dictionary of the English Language: To by George Fulton, G. Knight (1826)
"... n. a vessel of metal to carry fire fireship, fir'ship', n. a ship filled with
combustible matter to set fire to the enemy's vessels Fireside, ..."
Other Resources:
