Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A tender or small vessel employed to convey men or orders from one ship or place to another.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Naut.), Spain & Portugal A tender to a fleet, formerly used for conveying men, orders, or treasure.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A dispatch-boat; a small vessel used to communicate between the vessels of a fleet.
  • noun A horse-drawn carriage with two wheels used in France.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Spanish patache, of uncertain origin. The carriage sense is after French.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word patache.

Examples

  • A second type of small ocean-going vessel in New France was called a patache by Champlain.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • A second type of small ocean-going vessel in New France was called a patache by Champlain.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • Each large ship was accompanied by a small tender that Champlain called a patache.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • He was given a highly specialized vessel called a patache, which a French text defined in 1628 as “a small warship designed for the surveillance of coasts.”

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • He was given a highly specialized vessel called a patache, which a French text defined in 1628 as “a small warship designed for the surveillance of coasts.”

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • The patache was a purpose-built vessel for reconnaissance, surveys, and exploration.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • The patache was a purpose-built vessel for reconnaissance, surveys, and exploration.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • Each large ship was accompanied by a small tender that Champlain called a patache.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • In France and Spain they were also used as dispatch boats, which Champlain called a patache d’avis.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

  • In France and Spain they were also used as dispatch boats, which Champlain called a patache d’avis.

    Champlain's Dream David Hackett Fischer 2008

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • ‘Mongst hulking great vessels of war

    That bristle with weapons galore

    The humble patache

    With nimble panache

    Still flits between ship’s side and shore.

    September 18, 2018