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when one's ship comes in (or home)

Variant of ship

ship definition

ship (s̸hip)

noun

  1. any water vehicle of considerable size navigating deep water, esp. one powered by an engine
  2. a water vehicle for sailing, with a bowsprit and at least three square-rigged masts, each composed of lower, top, and topgallant members
  3. a ship's officers and crew
  4. an aircraft

Etymology: ME < OE scip, akin to Ger schiff, ON skip < IE *skeib- < *skei-, to cut, separate (> L scindere, to cut), extension of base *sek-, to cut (> saw): basic sense “hollowed-out tree trunk”

transitive verb shipped, shipping ship′·ping

  1. to put or take on board a ship
  2. ☆ to send or transport by any carrier to ship cattle by rail
  3. to take in (water) over the gunwale or side, as in a heavy sea
  4. to put or fix (an object) in its proper place on a ship or boat ship the oars
  5. to engage (a person or persons) for work on a ship
  6. Informal to send (away, out, etc.); get rid of

intransitive verb

  1. to go aboard ship; embark
  2. to engage to serve on a ship
  3. to travel by ship
ship Idioms

ship over

to enlist or reenlist in the U.S. Navy

ship out

  1. to go to sea: said of a sailor or traveler
  2. to send by ship
  3. to leave, esp. because of not doing as well as expected: in shape up or ship out

the Ship

the constellation Argo

when (or if, etc.) one's ship comes in (or home)

when (or if, etc.) one becomes rich

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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