Galleys definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (17)

American Heritage Dictionary (6)

noun Nautical A large, usually single-decked medieval ship of shallow draft, propelled by sails and oars and used as a merchant ship or warship in the Mediterranean.
noun Nautical An ancient Mediterranean seagoing vessel propelled by oars.
noun Nautical A large rowboat formerly used by British customs officers.

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Century Dictionary (6)

A sea-going vessel propelled by oars, or using both oars and sails. The earliest ships of all nations were of this class, and were at first confined chiefly to coasting or to the navigation of narrow seas. The war-galley of the Greeks originally had a single mast carrying one square sail amidships, and later two masts, but depended primarily upon its oars, ranged in a single line on each side, and each handled by one rower. It was rated according to the whole number of these. The principal sizes were the triaconter, of thirty oars, and the penteconter, of fifty. Ships of this form continued to be used as vessels of burden, but were early superseded for war by galleys rated according to the number of banks of oars or ranks of rowers, as the bireme (a two-banked vessel), trireme, quadrireme, etc. Greater numbers of banks are mentioned, up to forty banks of oars in a vessel of enormous size built for Ptolemy Philopator of Egypt. How these numerous banks of oars were arranged is not definitely known; it is probable that not more than three could have been placed one above another. The first recorded Roman fleet consisted wholly of triremes, and this was always the most common armament. The ancient naval vessels were long, sharp, and narrow in model, like a modern steamer, were capable of great speed, and carried large crews. Full decks, or several decks, were in time substituted for the primitive half-deck, or the short decks at the stem and stern; and rams, towers, and other means of offense and defense were added. Galleys continued in use in the Mediterranean and other seas till late in the seventeenth century, ordinary ones in later times having from five to twenty-five oars on a side in a single row, each oar worked by several men, with two or three masts and triangular sails; and indeed they may be considered as not yet entirely obsolete, being represented by the feluccas and boats of similar model on the Mediterranean and neighboring seas. Larger vessels were called galleasses. (See galleass.) The labor of rowing was from an early date assigned to mercenaries, and afterward to slaves and prisoners of war; and in some countries, especially France, nearly all criminals were condemned to service on the galleys of the state, and were hence called galley-slaves. See trireme. Whan the Saisnes [Saxons] saugh the Galeyes, thei were full gladde, and ronne in who that myght first in the grettest haste. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 597. It is made a gally matter to carry a knife whose poynt is not broken off. Evelyn, Diary, Oct. 17, 1644. The Dromones, or light gallies, of the Byzantine empire were content with two tiers of oars. Gibbon, Decline and Fall, liii. King Ferdinand's galleys were spread with rich carpets and awnings of yellow and scarlet, and every sailor in the fleet exhibited the same gaudy-colored livery of the royal house of Aragon. Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., ii. 20.
A state barge; a large boat, especially one used in display; in a special use, an open boat formerly employed on the Thames in England by custom-house officers and press-gangs, and for pleasure. And each proud galley, as she passed To the wild cadence of the blast, Gave wilder minstrelsy. Scott, L. of the L., i. 15. The Jack … asked me if we had seen a four-oared galley going up with the tide? … “You thinks Custum Us, Jack?” said the landlord. “I do,” said the Jack. Dickens, Great Expectations, liv.
A boat, somewhat larger than a gig, appropriated for the captain's use on a war-ship. [Eng.]

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And they said: that it was out of their power, for the galleys were all ready and fitted out. — The Memoirs of the Lord of Joinville
He received them with great kindness and distinction, expressing himself with princely courtesy, both as to themselves and the republic of Venice; and having heard their account of the battle, and of their destitute situation, he assisted them with a large sum of money to ransom their galleys from the French cruisers. — The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Vol. II)
On 26 January Cesi acknowledged receipt of Galileo ;s two letters, apologized for the delay in replying due to his increasing ill health, and assured him that as far as the galleys were concerned, Galileo would merely have to tell them what to do. — Galileo in Rome
One of these galleys, then, Messer Paolo engaged, and told his son that he had appointed him to journey with it and increase their wealth. — New Italian sketches
He was accordingly condemned to the galleys, a fearful fate! — John Deane of Nottingham Historic Adventures by Land and Sea

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galleys

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