ship

¹

[ ship ]

noun

1. a vessel, especially a large oceangoing one propelled by sails or engines.
2. Nautical.
   1. a sailing vessel square-rigged on all of three or more masts, having jibs, staysails, and a spanker on the aftermost mast.
   2. Now Rare. a bark having more than three masts. Compare shipentine.
3. the crew and, sometimes, the passengers of a vessel:

   The captain gave shore leave to the whole ship.

4. an airship, airplane, or spacecraft.

verb (used with object)

, shipped, ship·ping.

1. to put or take on board a ship or other means of transportation; to send or transport by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.
2. Nautical. to take in (water) over the side, as a vessel does when waves break over it.
3. to bring (an object) into a ship or boat.
4. to engage (someone) for service on a ship.
5. to fix in a ship or boat in the proper place for use.
6. to place (an oar) in proper position for rowing. Compare boat ( def 10 ).
7. to send away:

   They shipped the kids off to camp for the summer.

verb (used without object)

, shipped, ship·ping.

1. to go on board or travel by ship; embark.
2. to engage to serve on a ship.
3. 1. to be sent or transported by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.:

      Both packages shipped this morning.

   2. to permit of being transported by any of these means:

      Fresh raspberries do not ship well.

verb phrase

1. 1. to leave, especially for another country or assignment:

      He said goodbye to his family and shipped out for the West Indies.

   2. to send away, especially to another country or assignment.
   3. Informal. to quit, resign, or be fired from a job:

      Shape up or ship out!

ship

²

[ ship ]

noun

1. a romantic relationship between fictional characters, as in fan fiction, or between famous people, whether or not the romance actually exists in the book, show, etc., or in real life:

   the TV show's most popular ships.

verb (used with or without object)

, shipped, ship·ping.

1. to take an interest in or hope for a romantic relationship between (fictional characters or famous people), whether or not the romance actually exists:

   I'm shipping those guys—they would make a great couple!

-ship

³

1. a native English suffix of nouns denoting condition, character, office, skill, etc.:

   clerkship; friendship; statesmanship.

-ship

¹

suffix forming nouns

1. indicating state or condition

   fellowship

2. indicating rank, office, or position

   lordship

3. indicating craft or skill

   horsemanship

   workmanship

   scholarship

ship

²

/ ʃɪp /

noun

1. a vessel propelled by engines or sails for navigating on the water, esp a large vessel that cannot be carried aboard another, as distinguished from a boat
2. nautical a large sailing vessel with three or more square-rigged masts
3. the crew of a ship
4. short for airship spaceship
5. informal.
   any vehicle or conveyance
6. when one's ship comes in
   when one has become successful or wealthy

verb

1. to place, transport, or travel on any conveyance, esp aboard a ship

   ship the microscopes by aeroplane

   can we ship tomorrow?

2. tr nautical to take (water) over the side
3. to bring or go aboard a vessel

   to ship oars

4. informal.
   troften foll byoff to send away, often in order to be rid of

   they shipped the children off to boarding school

5. intr to engage to serve aboard a ship

   I shipped aboard a Liverpool liner

6. informal.
   tr to concede (a goal)

   Celtic have shipped eight goals in three away matches

Derived Forms

• ˈshippable, adjective

Other Words From

• ship·less adjective
• ship·less·ly adverb
• mis·ship verb misshipped misshipping
• pre·ship verb (used with object) preshipped preshipping

Word History and Origins

Origin of ship¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English noun scip, scipp; cognate with Dutch schip, German Schiff, Old Norse, Gothic skip; verb derivative of the noun

Origin of ship²

First recorded in 1995–2000; shortening of relationship none

Origin of ship³

Middle English, Old English -scipe; akin to shape; cognate with dialectal Frisian, dialectal Dutch schip

Word History and Origins

Origin of ship¹

Old English -scipe; compare shape

Origin of ship²

Old English scip; related to Old Norse skip, Old High German skif ship, scipfī cup

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. jump ship,
   1. to escape from a ship, especially one in foreign waters or a foreign port, as to avoid further service as a sailor or to request political asylum.
   2. to withdraw support or membership from a group, organization, cause, etc.; defect or desert:

      Some of the more liberal members have jumped ship.

2. run a tight ship, to exercise a close, strict control over a ship's crew, a company, an organization, or the like.
3. when one's ship comes in / home, when one's fortune is assured:

   She'll buy a house when her ship comes in.

More idioms and phrases containing ship

• desert a sinking ship
• enough to sink a ship
• shape up (or ship out)
• tight ship
• when one's ship comes in

Example Sentences

It was found by a videographer working on a National Geographic ship visiting remote parts of the Pacific to see how it has been affected by climate change.

From BBC

Those on Titan could stay in contact with the support ship, the Polar Prince, with text messages sent through its onboard communications system.

From BBC

It is not known when the US Coast Guard was told of the noise - or whether the families and friends waiting on the sub’s support ship were informed.

From BBC

Colbert also mentioned, "If you want to flee the country but can't get into Canada, one cruise line is offering four-year trips to people looking to avoid a second Trump term. The cruise takes place on a ship called the Odyssey. When I think positive travel experience, I think the Odyssey."

From Salon

In April 2023, he told the BBC that his reasoning for doing so was that "if the whole ship sinks, then nobody's got a job".

From BBC

Related Words

• dispatch
• export
• haul
• move
• shift
• smuggle
• transfer
• transmit