A boat is a small vessel for travelling on water, especially one that carries only a few people.
A larger vessel is usually referred to as a ship.
However, in conversation large passenger ships which travel short distances are sometimes called boats.
Be Careful!
When you are describing the way in which someone travels, you do not say that they travel 'by the boat' or 'by the ship'. You say that they travel by boat or by ship.
Imperative |
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ship |
ship |
Noun | 1. | ![]() pitching, lurch, pitch - abrupt up-and-down motion (as caused by a ship or other conveyance); "the pitching and tossing was quite exciting" abandoned ship, derelict - a ship abandoned on the high seas auxiliary boiler, donkey boiler - (nautical) an extra boiler (as a ship's boiler that is used while the ship is in port) auxiliary engine, donkey engine - (nautical) a small engine (as one used on board ships to operate a windlass) bay - a compartment on a ship between decks; often used as a hospital; "they put him in the sick bay" belaying pin - a wood or metal bar to which a rope can be secured (as on a ship or in mountain climbing) bilge pump - a pump to remove bilgewater bilge well - (nautical) a well where seepage drains to be pumped away blockade-runner - a ship that runs through or around a naval blockade bitt, bollard - a strong post (as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines); "the road was closed to vehicular traffic with bollards" brig - a penal institution (especially on board a ship) bulkhead - a partition that divides a ship or plane into compartments bulwark - a fencelike structure around a deck (usually plural) cargo area, cargo deck, cargo hold, storage area, hold - the space in a ship or aircraft for storing cargo cargo ship, cargo vessel - a ship designed to carry cargo crow's nest - platform for a lookout at or near the top of a mast davit - a crane-like device (usually one of a pair) for suspending or lowering equipment (as a lifeboat) deck - any of various platforms built into a vessel engine room, engineering - a room (as on a ship) in which the engine is located fin - a stabilizer on a ship that resembles the fin of a fish flagship - the ship that carries the commander of a fleet and flies his flag fo'c'sle, forecastle - living quarters consisting of a superstructure in the bow of a merchant ship where the crew is housed funnel - (nautical) smokestack consisting of a shaft for ventilation or the passage of smoke (especially the smokestack of a ship) gas-turbine ship - a ship powered by a gas turbine gyrostabiliser, gyrostabilizer - a stabilizer consisting of a heavy gyroscope that spins on a vertical axis; reduces side-to-side rolling of a ship or plane helm - steering mechanism for a vessel; a mechanical device by which a vessel is steered hospital ship - a ship built to serve as a hospital; used for wounded in wartime hulk - a ship that has been wrecked and abandoned iceboat, icebreaker - a ship with a reinforced bow to break up ice and keep channels open for navigation lightship - a ship equipped like a lighthouse and anchored where a permanent lighthouse would be impracticable log - measuring instrument that consists of a float that trails from a ship by a knotted line in order to measure the ship's speed through the water lubber's hole - hole in a platform on a mast through which a sailor can climb without going out on the shrouds magnetic mine - (nautical) a marine mine that is detonated by a mechanism that responds to magnetic material (as the steel hull of a ship) minelayer - ship equipped for laying marine mines minesweeper - ship equipped to detect and then destroy or neutralize or remove marine mines nuclear-powered ship - ship whose motive power comes from the energy of a nuclear reactor passenger ship - a ship built to carry passengers pirate ship, pirate - a ship that is manned by pirates planking - (nautical) a covering or flooring constructed of planks (as on a ship) porthole - a window in a ship or airplane ratlin, ratline - (nautical) a small horizontal rope between the shrouds of a sailing ship; they form a ladder for climbing aloft ridge rope - either of a pair of lifelines running alongside the bowsprit of a ship riding bitt - one of the large bitts used to secure the cable of a dropped anchor school ship, training ship - a ship used to train students as sailors screw propeller, screw - a propeller with several angled blades that rotates to push against water or air sea anchor, drogue - restraint consisting of a canvas covered frame that floats behind a vessel; prevents drifting or maintains the heading into a wind |
Verb | 1. | ![]() move, displace - cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense; "Move those boxes into the corner, please"; "I'm moving my money to another bank"; "The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant" barge - transport by barge on a body of water railroad - transport by railroad |
2. | ship - hire for work on a ship | |
3. | ship - go on board | |
4. | ship - travel by ship | |
5. | ship - place on board a ship; "ship the cargo in the hold of the vessel" lay, place, put, set, position, pose - put into a certain place or abstract location; "Put your things here"; "Set the tray down"; "Set the dogs on the scent of the missing children"; "Place emphasis on a certain point" reship - place on a ship again or transfer to another ship; "reship the cargo" |