sloop of war

3 definitions found

sloop of war - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Sloop \Sloop\, n.[D. sloep, of uncertain origin. Cf. Shallop.]
     1. (Naut.) A vessel having one mast and fore-and-aft rig,
        consisting of a boom-and-gaff mainsail, jibs, staysail,
        and gaff topsail. The typical sloop has a fixed bowsprit,
        topmast, and standing rigging, while those of a cutter are
        capable of being readily shifted. The sloop usually
        carries a centerboard, and depends for stability upon
        breadth of beam rather than depth of keel. The two types
        have rapidly approximated since 1880. One radical
        distinction is that a sloop may carry a centerboard. See
        Cutter, and Illustration in Appendix.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Naut.) In modern usage, a sailing vessel having one mast,
        commonly with a Bermuda rig, with either a center-board or
        a keel. In the United States, a sloop may have one or two
        headsails, while in Western Europe and Great Britain a
        sloop has only one headsail.
        [RDH]
  
     Sloop of war, formerly, a vessel of war rigged either as a
        ship, brig, or schooner, and mounting from ten to
        thirty-two guns; now, any war vessel larger than a
        gunboat, and carrying guns on one deck only.
        [1913 Webster]

  Corvet \Cor"vet\ (k?r"v?t), Corvette \Cor*vette"\ (k?r-v?r"), n.
     [F. corvette, fr. Pg. corveta or Sp. corbeta, fr. L. corbita
     a slow-sailing ship of burden, fr, corbis basket. Cf.
     Corbeil.] (Naut.)
     A war vessel, ranking next below a frigate, and having
     usually only one tier of guns; -- called in the United States
     navy a sloop of war.
     [1913 Webster]

sloop of war - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  sloop of war
      n 1: a sailing or steam warship having cannons on only one deck