ships of the line

A form of ship of the line — A large square-rigged warship large enough to have a place in the line of battle, with up to 140 guns on at least two decks. A capital ship from the age of sail, superior to a frigate; usually, a seventy-four, or three-decker.

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Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of ship of the line
Cite this entry
APA

ships of the line. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ships%20of%20the%20line

MLA

“ships of the line.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ships%20of%20the%20line. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ships of the line,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ships%20of%20the%20line.

Source: ships of the line on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.