A sea force, or naval armament; in early use, a number of vessels carrying armed men, under a single command; in modern use, a number of ships armed…

A fleet or flotilla.

a navy.

A number of ships collected together, esp. for purposes of war; a fleet. Now chiefly literary.

spec. A naval armament; an armada, a fleet. Obsolete.

A (large) fleet of warships, esp. one engaging in or en route to a military encounter.

A fleet, a navy; (also) a ship. Obsolete. rare.

Scottish. A naval fleet. Obsolete. rare.

A small fleet or squadron of warships. Cf. armada, n. 1a.

(a) (during the 18th cent.) the fleet based at Spithead; (b) (during the period 1914–16) the British Battle Fleet operating in the North Sea.

A body of armed soldiers, sailors, etc.; a military force, esp. a naval force. Also figurative.

(a) a country having naval supremacy; (b) naval and sea air forces.