ship of the line

Etymology
Contraction of line of battle ship, a warship large enough to be in the line of battle. See also battleship, contracted from the same phrase.

Noun

 * 1)  A large square-rigged warship large enough to have a place in the line of battle, with up to 140 guns on at least two decks. A capital ship from the age of sail, superior to a frigate; usually, a seventy-four, or three-decker.

Usage notes

 * The OED records the terms line of battle ship,  battleship, ship of the line and liner being used interchangeably up through the 19th century. In modern usage ship of the line is a wooden line of battle ship from the age of sail; battleship is an armoured and motorized warship of the late 19th to mid 20th centuries.

Synonyms

 * ship; liner
 * ship; liner

Translations

 * Catalan: navili de línia
 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: 第一線作戰軍艦
 * Czech: řadová loď
 * Esperanto: liniŝipo
 * Finnish:
 * Ido:
 * Norman: navithe du preunmié rang
 * Polish:
 * Russian:
 * Ukrainian: ліні́йний корабе́ль