ship: [OE] Ship comes from a prehistoric Germanic *skipam, which also produced German schiff, Dutch schip, Swedish skepp, and Danish skib. It is not known for certain where this came from, although a link has been suggested with Latvian shkibīt ‘cut, hew’, in which case the underlying meaning of ship could be ‘hollowed-out log’ – a ‘dugout’, in other words.
The Old High German form schif was borrowed into Italian as schifo, and this made its way via French esquif into English as skiff [16]. The Middle Dutch form schip had a derivative schipper ‘captain of a small ship’, which has given English skipper [14]. And equip too comes from a relative of English ship. => equip, skiff, skipper
ship (n.)
Old English scip "ship, boat," from Proto-Germanic *skipam (cognates: Old Norse, Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Gothic skip, Danish skib, Swedish skepp, Middle Dutch scip, Dutch schip, Old High German skif, German Schiff), "Germanic noun of obscure origin" [Watkins]. Others suggest perhaps originally "tree cut out or hollowed out," and derive it from PIE root *skei- "to cut, split."
Now a vessel of considerable size, adapted to navigation; the Old English word was used for small craft as well, and definitions changed over time; in 19c., distinct from a boat in having a bowsprit and three masts, each with a lower, top, and topgallant mast. French esquif, Italian schifo are Germanic loan-words.
Phrase ships that pass in the night is from Longfellow's poem "Elizabeth" in "Tales of a Wayside Inn" (1863). Figurative use of nautical runs a tight ship (i.e., one that does not leak) is attested from 1965.
ship (v.)
c. 1300, "to send or transport (merchandise, people) by ship; to board a ship; to travel by ship, sail, set sail," also figurative, from ship (n.). Old English scipian is attested only in the senses "take ship, embark; be furnished with a ship." Transferred to other means of conveyance (railroad, etc.) from 1857, originally American English. Related: Shipped; shipping.
实用例句
1. She mispronounced ship as sheep.
她把ship念成sheep了.
来自《简明英汉词典》
2. 'ship " doesn't rhyme with'sheep ".
Ship 和 sheep 不押韵.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. Captain Cook safely navigated his ship without accident for 100 voyages.
库克船长驾驶的船安全出航100次无事故。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Sailors hung about while they waited to ship out.
水手们在等待离港的时候四处闲逛。
来自柯林斯例句
5. In a naval battle your aim is to sink the enemy's ship.
