unˈship, v.
[un-2 5, 4, 7. Cf. Du. ontschepen, G. entschiffen.]
1. trans. To take out of, remove or discharge from, a ship; to put on shore (or into a boat, etc.) from a vessel.
| a 1450 Contn. Brut 542 He..saylet toward Normaundy, and londit at Hogges,..and vnshippit his pepill. 1497 Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 324 Ladders for to Shep men and vnship men with. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxviii. 113 b/2 The kynge of Ciper..arriued at Douer,..and refreshed hym tyll all his cariage was vnshipped. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 210 They vnshipped their horse and harneys, not knowing in what part of England they were. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia v. 174 They vnshipped all their goods..into their Boats. 1641 W. Hakewill Libertie of Subject 102 Impositions are not paid upon the buying and selling of Merchandize, but when they are to ship or unship. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 426 In the Voyage..he had had the Misfortune to be five Times shipp'd and unshipp'd. 1726 Swift Gulliver ii. i, We unshipped our goods. 1837 H. Martineau Soc. Amer. II. 6 All hands were busy in unshipping the cargo, to lighten the vessel. 1885 Act 48–49 Vic. c. 41 §17 Any harbour..at which vessels can..ship or unship goods or passengers. |
| refl. a 1604 Hanmer Chron. Irel. (1809) 253 They forthwith landed, and unshipped themselves. |
b. To deprive of, dismiss from, a ship.
| 1829 Marryat F. Mildmay xxi, I should have unshipped him next cruise. |
2. Naut. To detach or remove (
esp. a mast, rudder, or oar) from a fixed place or position.
| 1598 Hakluyt Voy. I. 235 We were not able to beare in, but by violence were constrained to take the sea agayne, our Pinnesse being vnshipt. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1776), Dégarnir le cabestan, to unrig the capstern, by taking off the voyol, and unshipping the bars. 1773 Cook S. Voy. (1777) ii. ii. I. 205 He..dived under the boat, and..unshipped the rudder. 1806 Pike Sources Mississ. (1810) 102 Obliged to unship our mast to prevent its rolling overboard. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. i, The speaker at the same time unshipping his scull on that side. 1874 Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. viii. 241 So that..the apparatus..may..be..unshipped and re-shipped again at pleasure. |
| fig. 1816 Sporting Mag. XLVII. 277 Crocken..beat a Knightsbridge wheelwright..by unshipping his jaw in the fourth round. |
b. In general use.
| 1793 Smeaton Edystone L. §140 Unshipping the tackle belonging to the lantern. 1832 Lincoln Herald 13 Jan. 2 John Page saw Clarke unship the flag on the top of the governor's house. 1839 F. A. Griffiths Artill. Man. 87 No 1 unships the handspike. 1882 Sala Amer. Revis. (1885) 384 Tell the porter not to unship the little one-legged flap table..fixed to the wall of the car. |
3. intr. a. To admit of being detached or removed.
| 1834 Marryat P. Simple II. 30 Six large pieces of iron,..with a gimblet at one end of each, and a square at the other, which fitted to a handle which unshipped. 1844 Stephens Bk. Farm III. 1169 The top-sides..are fitted to ship and unship as occasion may require. 1862 Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit. II. No. 2256, The upper ladders unship by means of shifting levers. |
b. To become detached.
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 161 Capstan-bar Pins, pins inserted through their ends to prevent their unshipping. 1883 Pall Mall G. 13 Mar. 10/2 The boat's rudder unshipped and caused the boat to capsize. |
4. To undergo unloading from a vessel.
| 1860 Dickens Christmas Stories, Message fr. Sea i, Such other cargo as was..unshipping at the pier. |
5. trans. a. Of a horse: To unseat, throw (the rider).
| 1831 Scott Let. in Westm. Gaz. 14 June (1904) 12/2 My forester walks by his [sc. the pony's] head for fear a start or sudden stumble should unship me altogether. 1853 R. S. Surtees Sponge's Sp. Tour lxvii, One [horse] has still his muzzle on, lest he should unship his rider and eat him. |
b. To unbalance, upset.
| 1827 Chalmers in Hanna Life (1851) III. 163, I really fear lest his [sc. Irving's] prophecies may unship him altogether. |
Hence
unˈshipped ppl. a.,
unˈshipping vbl. n.| 1868 Morris Earthly Par. (1870) II. iii. 389 A ring of Icelanders, who sat Upon the bales of *unshipped goods. |
| 1497 Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 327 Ladders for shippyng & *vnshippyng of men. 1709 Act 8 Anne c. 7 §17 The Persons..to whose Hands the same shall knowingly come, after the unshipping thereof. 1803 Act 43 Geo. III, c. 132 §28 To prevent the fraudulently unshipping or re-landing of Goods. |