| 释义 |
ˈhorse-boat
1. a. A ferry-boat for conveying horses or carriages.
1591Percivall Sp. Dict., Tafurea, a horse boate, Hippagium. 1665Pepys Diary 31 July, The horse-boat could not get off on the other side the river to bring away the coach. 1755Johnson, Horseboat, a boat used in ferrying horses. 1849E. B. Eastwick Dry Leaves 22 In another..boat, I embarked my horses. My horse-boat [etc.].
b. A type of landing-craft.
1907Daily Chron. 25 Feb. 6/3 Exercises with the new form of steel horse-boat were carried out..on Saturday by an A.S.C. contingent... At the stern is a large flap which falls down to facilitate landing. 1923Man. Seamanship (H.M.S.O.) II. 215 Horseboats would be excellent for landing troops except for the fact that they are unhandy.
2. N. Amer. A boat whose paddle-wheels are driven by horses working a tread-mill. † Obs. exc. Hist.
1823I. Holmes Account U.S.A. 315 One of the horse-boats which cross the North River..is of a very peculiar construction. 1828Webster, Horseboat..a boat moved by horses; a new species of ferry-boat. 1829Brockville (Upper Canada) Gaz. 28 Aug. 2/5 In crossing the lake..the Steamboat Montreal and the horse-boat came in contact with each other. 1897R. E. Robinson Uncle Lisha's Outing 257 They wended their way to the ferry just in time to see the horse boat come splashing into port, the four horses plodding their unprogressive journey on the revolving wheel. 1928Old-Time New Eng. Apr. 161 Before the wreck of the Belknap a new type of freighter, the horse-boat, appeared on the lake. The first one of its kind was built on Long Island in 1838. It was an open scow propelled by paddle-wheels, the motive power being supplied by a pair of horses tramping a treadmill. |