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ship's boat

ship's boat

4.2
A small boat that a ship carries to move people between ship and shore
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : bote del barco
  • The sailors used the ship's boat to transport supplies from the shore to the vessel.

Examples

  • "A wave rocked the ship's boat, knocking Pontifax off his feet."

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The ship's boat struggled along in the open water outside the sheltered harbor at Baldur's Gate.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The crew of the ship's boat told him.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "Turning to the boatswain, she ordered, "Gather the men who were on watch tonight and put them in the ship's boat."

    Fiction book (1992)
  • You snap to it and supervise the stowing of the ship's boat.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • As the ship's boat drew closer, Artus noticed the holes looked like missing teeth in a giant's smile.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "That spell you cast in the ship's boat couldn't have worn off already," Artus said.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Toward the bow, Nelock and a handful of crewmen secured the ship's boat.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "You're looking a little anxious," taunted Nelock, the only officer aboard the ship's boat.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • He is such a savage sight that the six oarsmen in the approaching ship's boat take quick glances over their shoulders as they row closer.

    Academic text (2002)

Synonyms

boat
vsship's boat
1.0

A small vehicle used on water to carry people, like a rowboat or motorboat

is a small vessel carried aboard a larger craft for transport to shore
dinghy
vsship's boat
18 4.8

A small open boat that people use for short trips, often to reach a larger boat

is the carried onboard vessel used mainly to move people to shore
cutter
vsship's boat
18 6.1

A small fast boat often with sails, used to carry people or messages

is used for routine transport to shore rather than fast courier duties
small boat
vsship's boat
13 1.0

A boat that is small and used for short trips on lakes or rivers

is carried by a larger vessel and used mainly for transport to shore
tender
vsship's boat
  • Specialized
5 6.6

A small boat that takes people or supplies to shore from a larger ship

is specifically a small onboard vessel carried to move people to shore
longboat
vsship's boat
  • Archaic
5 7.0

A large boat carried on a ship to move people or goods between ship and shore

is a smaller onboard vessel for short passenger transport rather than cargo
jolly
vsship's boat
  • Archaic
2 9.9

A small boat kept on a ship to carry people or goods

is the general small vessel used to move people to shore
pinnace
vsship's boat
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small boat used to carry people or supplies between a ship and shore

is for general transport to shore rather than mainly carrying messages
jolly boat
vsship's boat
  • Specialized
8.2

A small boat that a sailing ship keeps for the crew to move people or supplies

is used by larger vessels for transport to shore rather than only sailing ones

How Big

launch
36 6.0
tender
  • Specialized
5 6.6
ship's boat
  • Specialized
4.2
dinghy
18 4.8

Surface Forms

ship's boat singular
ship's boats plural

Morphology

ship's + boat

The meaning 'a boat belonging to a ship' is directly and compositionally derived from 'ship' + possessive '-s' + 'boat'; a B1 learner who knows 'ship' and 'boat' can infer this easily. Possessive constructions naming ownership or part-whole relations are common cross-linguistically, so the expression is straightforward and transparent.

Etymology

Ship's boat is a literal name for the small boat that belongs to a ship and is lowered into the water to carry people or supplies to shore. That's why it means 'a small boat carried by a ship and used for transportation between the ship and the shore'.