Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
An ocean-going ship chartered by the government to carry the mail and official communications.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A boat that carried mail, cargo, and, in later years, some passengers along a regularly scheduled route up and down a river or canal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A boat specifically designed to provide transportation to passengers on a regular schedule up and down a river or canal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a boat for carrying mail
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: mailboat, mail boat, packet
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: boat
History
From packet, meaning the packets of mail that were carried. For the passenger boats, the name derives from the boats that carried mail (and sometimes passengers) on rivers or canals, from which these services evolved.
