brig1
/brɪɡ
/noun
1A two-masted square-rigged ship, typically having an additional lower fore-and-aft sail on the gaff and a boom to the mainmast.One tremendously successful ship design was the two-masted brig of war....
- We sailed out after the brig.
- He arrived in South Australia on his own ship, the brig New Holland.
2 informal A prison, especially on a warship.I've seen my fair share of brigs and prisons and I've seen them on both sides of the wall....
- A security team lead the prisoners off to the brig.
- You've saved a pirate from the brig, helped him find his hat and now you're talking surgery to him.
Origin
Early 18th century: abbreviation of brigantine (the original sense).
Rhymes
brig2
/brɪɡ/noun Scottish & Northern English
A bridge.
Origin
From Old Norse bryggja.