fireship

Definitions

1. A wooden ship set alight and then sent floating into an enemy flotilla, with the aim of spreading the fire among them.
   historical
2. A diseased prostitute.
   slang, vulgar

Equivalents

Examples

“Fireships were famously used by Sir Francis Drake when fighting the Spanish Armada of 1588.”

“His attempt⟳ in 208 to cross the Yangtse was frustrated in the famous battle of Ch'ih-pi, in which his immense fleet was destroyed by his enemies' fireships, and most of his army slain.”

CEFR level