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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
14th century Destroyer?
My dictionary informs me that the name of the vessel class 'destroyer' is 14th century in origin, which I found surprising. I had looked the word up because I encountered in a history text the term "torpedo-boat destroyer". The text is not clear about whether the duty of this vessel is destroying torpedo boats or if it is considered some sort of torpedo boat itself. The text is R.K. Massie's "Dreadnought", so this is with reference to a late 19th century vessel.
But 14th century?
But 14th century?
Top answer
[nq:1]My dictionary informs me that the name of the vessel class 'destroyer' is 14th century in origin, which I found ... K. Massie's "Dreadnought", so this is with reference to a late 19th century vessel.
- [nq:1]My dictionary informs me that the name of the vessel class 'destroyer' is 14th century in origin, which I found ...
- K.
- Massie's "Dreadnought", so this is with reference to a late 19th century vessel.
- [/nq] The OED dates 'destroyer' back to 1882, it being the proper name of an American torpedo boat.
- Which dictionary claims a 14th century origin for the word?
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10 Answers
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[nq:1]My dictionary informs me that the name of the vessel class 'destroyer' is 14th century in origin, which I found ... The text is R.K. Massie's "Dreadnought", so this is with reference to a late 19th century vessel. But 14th century?[/nq]
The OED dates 'destroyer' back to 1882, it being the proper name of an American torpedo boat. Which dictionary claims a 14th century origin for the word?
The OED dates 'destroyer' back to 1882, it being the proper name of an American torpedo boat. Which dictionary claims a 14th century origin for the word?
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[nq:2]My dictionary informs me that the name of the vessel ... reference to a late 19th century vessel. But 14th century?[/nq]
[nq:1]The OED dates 'destroyer' back to 1882, it being the proper name of an American torpedo boat. Which dictionary claims a 14th century origin for the word?[/nq]
He's confused. He is looking at the MW entry (infra). It dates the noun to the 14th century, but doe
[nq:1]The OED dates 'destroyer' back to 1882, it being the proper name of an American torpedo boat. Which dictionary claims a 14th century origin for the word?[/nq]
He's confused. He is looking at the MW entry (infra). It dates the noun to the 14th century, but doe
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[nq:2]The OED dates 'destroyer' back to 1882, it being the ... Which dictionary claims a 14th century origin for the word?[/nq]
[nq:1]He's confused. He is looking at the MW entry (infra). It dates the noun to the 14th century, but does ... fast warship used especially to support larger vessels and usually armed with guns, depth charges, torpedoes, and often guided missiles[/nq]And, to answer t
[nq:1]He's confused. He is looking at the MW entry (infra). It dates the noun to the 14th century, but does ... fast warship used especially to support larger vessels and usually armed with guns, depth charges, torpedoes, and often guided missiles[/nq]And, to answer t
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(Snip)
Then some bright fellow thought to put torpedos on
[nq:1]the destroyers. Eventually the torpedo boats themselves dropped out of use. A similar class was reinstated later, for anti-submarine work under various names: corvette, destroyer escort, or frigate. Richard R. Hershberger[/nq]
But motor torpedo boats, corvettes, destroyers and frigates were all contemporary types in WW II.
Then some bright fellow thought to put torpedos on
[nq:1]the destroyers. Eventually the torpedo boats themselves dropped out of use. A similar class was reinstated later, for anti-submarine work under various names: corvette, destroyer escort, or frigate. Richard R. Hershberger[/nq]
But motor torpedo boats, corvettes, destroyers and frigates were all contemporary types in WW II.
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[nq:1](Snip) Then some bright fellow thought to put torpedos on[/nq]
[nq:2]the destroyers. Eventually the torpedo boats themselves dropped out of ... various names: corvette, destroyer escort, or frigate. Richard R. Hershberger[/nq]
[nq:1]But motor torpedo boats, corvettes, destroyers and frigates were all contemporary types in WW II. MTBs were quite small, wooden-hulled ... Haida now park
[nq:2]the destroyers. Eventually the torpedo boats themselves dropped out of ... various names: corvette, destroyer escort, or frigate. Richard R. Hershberger[/nq]
[nq:1]But motor torpedo boats, corvettes, destroyers and frigates were all contemporary types in WW II. MTBs were quite small, wooden-hulled ... Haida now park
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[nq:1]Now that you mention it, I'm not sure how large the 19th century torpedo boats were. I have always pictured them as larger than MTBs, but I probably should actually look this up some time when I am actually motivated.[/nq]
In some museum I don't recall where I saw a WW I Italian torpedo boat in which the boat was the torpedo. The lone crewman sat way aft and was supposed to abandon ship
In some museum I don't recall where I saw a WW I Italian torpedo boat in which the boat was the torpedo. The lone crewman sat way aft and was supposed to abandon ship
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John Varela:
[nq:1]In some museum I don't recall where I saw a WW I Italian torpedo boat in which the boat was the torpedo. The lone crewman sat way aft and was supposed to abandon ship after aiming it at the target.[/nq]
So Rose Sayer didn't invent the idea!
Mark Brader "... we still feel that color is hard Toronto on the eyes for so long a picture ..." (Email Removed) N.Y
[nq:1]In some museum I don't recall where I saw a WW I Italian torpedo boat in which the boat was the torpedo. The lone crewman sat way aft and was supposed to abandon ship after aiming it at the target.[/nq]
So Rose Sayer didn't invent the idea!
Mark Brader "... we still feel that color is hard Toronto on the eyes for so long a picture ..." (Email Removed) N.Y
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[nq:1]John Varela:[/nq]
[nq:2]In some museum I don't recall where I saw a WW I ... supposed to abandon ship after aiming it at the target.[/nq]
JV's memory may be accurate but omits the notable
Italian success in WW2 with man-carrying torpedos (which the RN also sought to replicate.) A crew of two frogmen rode atop a torpedo, wearing aqualungs, detached the warhead under the target shi
[nq:2]In some museum I don't recall where I saw a WW I ... supposed to abandon ship after aiming it at the target.[/nq]
JV's memory may be accurate but omits the notable
Italian success in WW2 with man-carrying torpedos (which the RN also sought to replicate.) A crew of two frogmen rode atop a torpedo, wearing aqualungs, detached the warhead under the target shi
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[nq:2]John Varela:[/nq]
[nq:1]JV's memory may be accurate but omits the notable Italian success in WW2 with man-carrying torpedos (which the RN also ... contrast with the Japanese Kaiten manned torpedo, which struck at speed like the standard torpedo, directed by a human pilot.[/nq]
Jack Higgins' book (and the movie) "The Eagle has Landed" has Kurt Steiner and his men condemned to ride tor
[nq:1]JV's memory may be accurate but omits the notable Italian success in WW2 with man-carrying torpedos (which the RN also ... contrast with the Japanese Kaiten manned torpedo, which struck at speed like the standard torpedo, directed by a human pilot.[/nq]
Jack Higgins' book (and the movie) "The Eagle has Landed" has Kurt Steiner and his men condemned to ride tor
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I seem to remember reading a short story about a WW1 torpedo boat that discharged its torpedo to the rear tail first, motor running and then turned aside to allow the torpedo to run free toward the target.
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