Man-of-war n; pl. Men-of-war.
1. A government vessel employed for the purposes of war, esp. one of large size; a ship of war. [wns=1]
Syn: -- ship of the line.
Man-of-war hawk Zool., the frigate bird.
Man-of-war's man, a sailor serving in a ship of war.
Portuguese man-of-war Zool., any species of the genus Physalia; it is a hydrozoan having both medusa and polyp stages present in a single colony. It floats on the surface of the sea by a buoyant bladderlike structure, from which dangle multiple long tentacles with stinging cells. Its can cause severe rashes when it comes in contact with humans swimming in the area. See Physalia.
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man-of-war
n 1: a warship intended for combat [syn: ship of the line]
2: large siphonophore having a bladderlike float and stinging
tentacles [syn: Portuguese man-of-war, jellyfish]
[also: men-of-war (pl), men-o'-war (pl)]