Ship, n.
 1. Any large seagoing vessel.
 Like a stately ship . . .
 With all her bravery on, and tackle trim,
 Sails filled, and streamers waving.   --Milton.
    Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!   --Longfellow.
 2. Specifically, a vessel furnished with a bowsprit and three masts (a mainmast, a foremast, and a mizzenmast), each of which is composed of a lower mast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast, and square-rigged on all masts. See Illustation in Appendix.
 3. A dish or utensil (originally fashioned like the hull of a ship) used to hold incense. [Obs.]
 Armed ship, a private ship taken into the service of the government in time of war, and armed and equipped like a ship of war. [Eng.] --Brande & C.
 General ship. See under General.
 Ship biscuit, hard biscuit prepared for use on shipboard; -- called also ship bread. See Hardtack.
 Ship boy, a boy who serves in a ship.  “Seal up the ship boy's eyes.” --Shak.
 Ship breaker, one who breaks up vessels when unfit for further use.
 Ship broker, a mercantile agent employed in buying and selling ships, procuring cargoes, etc., and generally in transacting the business of a ship or ships when in port.
 Ship canal, a canal suitable for the passage of seagoing vessels.
 Ship carpenter, a carpenter who works at shipbuilding; a shipwright.
 Ship chandler, one who deals in cordage, canvas, and other, furniture of vessels.
 Ship chandlery, the commodities in which a ship chandler deals; also, the business of a ship chandler.
 Ship fever Med., a form of typhus fever; -- called also putrid fever, jail fever, or hospital fever.
 Ship joiner, a joiner who works upon ships.
 Ship letter, a letter conveyed by a ship not a mail packet.
 Ship money Eng. Hist., an imposition formerly charged on the ports, towns, cities, boroughs, and counties, of England, for providing and furnishing certain ships for the king's service.  The attempt made by Charles I. to revive and enforce this tax was resisted by John Hampden, and was one of the causes which led to the death of Charles.  It was finally abolished.
 Ship of the line. See under Line.
 Ship pendulum, a pendulum hung amidships to show the extent of the rolling and pitching of a vessel.
 Ship railway. (a) An inclined railway with a cradelike car, by means of which a ship may be drawn out of water, as for repairs. (b) A railway arranged for the transportation of vessels overland between two water courses or harbors.
 Ship's company, the crew of a ship or other vessel.
 Ship's days, the days allowed a vessel for loading or unloading.
 Ship's husband. See under Husband.
 Ship's papers Mar. Law, papers with which a vessel is required by law to be provided, and the production of which may be required on certain occasions.  Among these papers are the register, passport or sea letter, charter party, bills of lading, invoice, log book, muster roll, bill of health, etc. --Bouvier. --Kent.
 To make ship, to embark in a ship or other vessel.


 Gen·er·al a.
 1. Relating to a genus or kind; pertaining to a whole class or order; as, a general law of animal or vegetable economy.
 2. Comprehending many species or individuals; not special or particular; including all particulars; as, a general inference or conclusion.
 3. Not restrained or limited to a precise import; not specific; vague; indefinite; lax in signification; as, a loose and general expression.
 4. Common to many, or the greatest number; widely spread; prevalent; extensive, though not universal; as, a general opinion; a general custom.
 This general applause and cheerful shout
 Argue your wisdom and your love to Richard.   --Shak.
 5. Having a relation to all; common to the whole; as, Adam, our general sire.
 6. As a whole; in gross; for the most part.
    His general behavior vain, ridiculous.   --Shak.
 7. Usual; common, on most occasions; as, his general habit or method.
 Note: ☞ The word general, annexed to a name of office, usually denotes chief or superior; as, attorney-general; adjutant general; commissary general; quartermaster general; vicar-general, etc.
 General agent Law, an agent whom a principal employs to transact all his business of a particular kind, or to act in his affairs generally.
 General assembly. See the Note under Assembly.
 General average, General Court. See under Average, Court.
 General court-martial Mil., the highest military and naval judicial tribunal.
 General dealer Com., a shopkeeper who deals in all articles in common use.
 General demurrer Law, a demurrer which objects to a pleading in general terms, as insufficient, without specifying the defects. --Abbott.
 General epistle, a canonical epistle.
 General guides Mil., two sergeants (called the right, and the left, general guide) posted opposite the right and left flanks of an infantry battalion, to preserve accuracy in marching. --Farrow.
 General hospitals Mil., hospitals established to receive sick and wounded sent from the field hospitals. --Farrow.  General issue Law, an issue made by a general plea, which traverses the whole declaration or indictment at once, without offering any special matter to evade it. --Bouvier. --Burrill.
 General lien Law, a right to detain a chattel, etc., until payment is made of any balance due on a general account.
 General officer Mil., any officer having a rank above that of colonel.
 General orders Mil., orders from headquarters published to the whole command.
 General practitioner, in the United States, one who practices medicine in all its branches without confining himself to any specialty; in England, one who practices both as physician and as surgeon.
 General ship, a ship not chartered or let to particular parties.
 General term Logic, a term which is the sign of a general conception or notion.
 General verdict Law, the ordinary comprehensive verdict in civil actions, “for the plaintiff” or “for the defendant”. --Burrill.
 General warrant Law, a warrant, now illegal, to apprehend suspected persons, without naming individuals.
 Syn: General, Common, Universal.
 Usage: Common denotes primarily that in which many share; and hence, that which is often met with. General is stronger, denoting that which pertains to a majority of the individuals which compose a genus, or whole. Universal, that which pertains to all without exception. To be able to read and write is so common an attainment in the United States, that we may pronounce it general, though by no means universal.