boarding party

American  

noun

1. a group of persons who board a vessel, especially to attack, seize, or search it.

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Etymology

Origin of boarding party

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The boarding party returned with a frozen toothfish, Antarctic charts, mobile phones, false papers, illegal nets, a laptop, and the Thunder’s registry.

From Slate • Jul. 26, 2016

We also know one of those ships was called the Inflictor, and was deliberately crashed into the surface of the planet Jakku by its young captain after it was invaded by a boarding party, led by her Rebel lover.

From The Verge • Dec. 16, 2015

Gates told Petraeus before he arrived to leave his boarding party behind: past directors who had arrived with an entourage, like Porter Goss and John Deutch, had not been well received.

From Time • Nov. 15, 2012

Navy 5th Fleet, told reporters at the Pentagon by telephone from Bahrain the boarding party was U.S. special operations forces.

From BusinessWeek • Feb. 22, 2011

"If they know or suspect what's happened," Quillan said, "twelve men can give a boarding party in a lock a remarkable amount of trouble."

From Lion Loose by Schmitz, James H.