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submarine Definition

sub·ma·rine (sub′mə rēn′, sub′mə rēn′)

adjective

being, living, used, or carried on beneath the surface of the water, esp. of the sea

Etymology: sub- + marine

noun

  1. a submarine plant or animal
  2. a watercraft or naval vessel designed to operate under water
  3. hero sandwich

transitive verb -·rined′, -·rin′·ing

to attack, esp. to torpedo, with a submarine

submarine Synonyms

submarine

n.

  1. A submersible boat

    underseas boat, submersible, sub*; see ship, warship.

  2. A long sandwich

    sub, hero, grinder, hoagie, poor boy, Cuban sandwich, Italian sandwich, Italian, bomber, wedge.

submarine Usage Examples

Converse of subject

  • torpedo: In May 1915, Margaret was returning from the United States on the Lusitania when it was torpedoed by a German submarine.
  • sink: A little over a month later, on October 14, HMS Royal Oak was sunk by a German submarine in Scapa Flow.

Converse of object

decommission: The UK will have at least 10 decommissioned submarines by the 2008 review.

Adjective modifier

  • nuclear-powered: Beneath the waves slid the latest nuclear-powered attack submarines.
  • ballistic: Except - ballistic missile submarines have nothing whatsoever to do with maritime strategy or with sea power.
  • vanguard-class: Each missile can carry up to 12 nuclear warheads and each Vanguard-class submarine can carry up to 16 missiles.
  • nuclear: I'm not sure about nuclear submarines in the hands of New Labor either, better not.
  • nuclear-armed: Aldermaston is now required to maintain the Trident weapons system, consisting of four nuclear-armed submarines.
  • submerged: Air is a commodity in short supply in a submerged submarine.

Modifies a noun

  • landslide: The trigger mechanisms that initiate submarine landslides in this area are not well understood.
  • warfare: The history of submarine warfare is often a clandestine history.
  • canyon: Submarine canyons can have a similar effect, focussing waves into the regions on either side.
  • ocelot: The submarine Ocelot may not be suitable for those visitors with less severe mobility impairments because of its steep ladders and hatches.
  • periscope: He also managed to detect submarine periscopes at 4 miles with the same equipment.
  • fleet: The committee had been considering the safety of the UK's nuclear submarine fleet.

Noun used with modifier

  • midget: Midget submarines were because they had a tow crew onboard; the attack crews took over later.
  • Polaris: Polaris submarines armed with nuclear weapons took up positions close to the Soviet Union.
  • hunter-killer: This would replace both Trident and the navy's hunter-killer submarines.
  • RN: Among these were the Tank Corp, RN submarines, the Australian Light Horse, the Labor Corps, and the Dragoon Guards.
  • missile: Britain has 16 Trident missiles on four nuclear missile submarines.