Sloop Of War (Noun)
Meaning
A sailing or steam warship having cannons on only one deck.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The British Royal Navy employed a sloop of war to patrol the Caribbean during the 18th century.
- In the early 19th century, the United States Navy commissioned several sloops of war to serve as coastal defense vessels.
- The USS Hornet, a sloop of war, played a significant role in the War of 1812, capturing several British ships.
- During the American Civil War, the Union Navy used sloops of war to blockade Southern ports and intercept Confederate privateers.
- The sloop of war was eventually replaced by more modern warships, such as cruisers and destroyers, in the late 19th century.