dreadnought

plural dreadnoughts · alternative dreadnaught

1. historicalgovernmentA battleship, especially of the World War I era, in which most of the firepower is concentrated in large guns that are of the same caliber.

   1 more example

   Perturbed at being overtaken, the USS Texas is leading the 6th Battle Squadron at 22-and-a-half knots as the engineers pour everything they have into the effort. Behind the colossal clouds of smoke and cinders they put out come a seemingly-endless stream of dreadnoughts, battle flags flying from every mast and line they can find. It is the Grand Fleet.

   2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 18:32 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022

   1. historicalinformalgovernmentAny type of warship heavier in armour or armament than a typical battleship.

      1 more example

      Sovereign is the flagship of the rogue Spectre Saren. An enormous dreadnought larger than any other ship in any known fleet, Sovereign is crewed with both geth and krogan. At two kilometers long, its spinal-mounted main gun is likely capable of penetrating another dreadnought's kinetic barriers with a single shot.

      2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Sovereign Codex entry

2. broadlyOne that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.

   Herbert steering the dreadnought limousine through the night, black cap on his black head.

   1963, J P Donleavy, A Singular Man, published 1963 (USA), page 278

   1. broadlyentertainmentA type of acoustic guitar with a very large body and a waist that is less pronounced than on other guitar shapes, producing a deep, bold sound.
   2. broadlyA garment made of thick woollen cloth that can defend against storm and cold.

      "Much obliged to you, ma'am!" says Mr. Guppy, divesting himself of his wet dreadnought in the hall.

      1853, Charles Dickens, chapter 7, in Bleak House

   3. broadlyThe cloth itself; fearnaught.

plural dreadnoughts · alternative dreadnaught

1. One that fears nothing.

   “Lift up your head and your heart, O King. We must follow after this dreadnought, hard on her tracks.”

   1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 35

2. Something that assures against fear.