line of battle
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The formation of the ships in a naval engagement. A line of battle ship was a capital ship fit to take 'part in a main attack. Frigates did not join in a general engagement.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “line of battle” mean?
The formation of the ships in a naval engagement. A line of battle ship was a capital ship fit to take 'part in a main attack. Frigates did not join in a general engagement.
Is “line of battle” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.