ˌship-of-ˈwar ? Now rare.
A ship equipped for warfare; a man-of-war, warship.
| 1479 Cely Papers (Camden) 19, I here saye ther schall goe schepys of war to the see. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 610 He was encountered with a shippe of warre, appertayning to the Duke of Excester. 1644 H. Manwayring Seaman's Dict. 65 A Ship of War (which is called a man of War among Sea-men). 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. 107 Our Ships of War are undisputably the best in the World. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780) s.v. Ship, Ships of war are properly equipped with artillery [etc.]. 1800 Charnock Mar. Archit. I. Pref. xcv, The custom..of appointing land officers..to the command of ships of war. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. II. xxxiv. 363 A larger ship-of-war from that station joined the expedition. |
| attrib. 1863 P. Barry Dockyard Econ. 4 The thought of permanent ship-of-war construction in the private shipyards was seriously in contemplation. |