ship

UK: /ˈʃɪp/ US: /ʃɪp/ ,(ship)

Inflections of 'ship' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

ships

v 3rd person singular

shipping

v pres p

shipped

v past

shipped

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ship /ʃɪp/   n., v., shipped, ship•ping. 
n. [countable]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a large vessel, esp. one that travels on the ocean.
2. the crew and passengers of a vessel:
   The ship was abuzz with the news.
3. an airplane or spacecraft:
   The commander of the spacecraft ordered his officers not to fire on the alien ship.

v. 

4. to send or transport by ship, rail, etc.:
   [~ + object] The package was shipped by an overnight express delivery service.
5. [~ + object] to take in (water) over the side, as a vessel does when waves break over it.
6. to bring into a ship or boat:
   [~ + object] Ship the anchor.
7. ship out:
   • to (cause to) leave, esp. for another country or assignment: [no object]
     The sailor shipped out the next day.
     [~ + object + out]
     shipped him out the next day.
     [~ + out + object]
     The navy shipped out thousands of sailors.
   • Slang Terms [no object] to quit, resign, or be fired from a job:
     Shape up or ship out!

Idioms

8. Idioms run a tight ship, to use strict control in running a company, etc.:
   The boss runs a tight ship.

-ship, suffix. 

1. • -ship is used to form nouns with the meaning "state or condition of'':
     friend + -ship → friendship;
     kin + -ship → kinship.
   • -ship is also used with the meaning "the skill or ability of'':
     statesman + -ship → statesmanship;
     apprentice + -ship → apprenticeship.
   • -ship is also used with the meaning "the relation of'':
     fellow + -ship → fellowship.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ship  (ship), n., v., shipped, ship•ping. 
n. 

1. Nautical, Naval Terms a vessel, esp. a large oceangoing one propelled by sails or engines.
2. Nautical, Naval Terms
   • a sailing vessel square-rigged on all of three or more masts, having jibs, staysails, and a spanker on the aftermost mast.
   • [Now Rare.] a bark having more than three masts. Cf. shipentine. 
3. the crew and, sometimes, the passengers of a vessel:
   The captain gave the ship shore leave.
4. an airship, airplane, or spacecraft.
5. jump ship:
   • to escape from a ship, esp. one in foreign waters or a foreign port, as to avoid further service as a sailor or to request political asylum.
   • to withdraw support or membership from a group, organization, cause, etc.;
     defect or desert:
     Some of the more liberal members have jumped ship.
6. run a tight ship, to exercise a close, strict control over a ship's crew, a company, organization, or the like.
7. when one's ship comes in or home, when one's fortune is assured:
   She'll buy a car as soon as her ship comes in.

v.t. 

8. to put or take on board a ship or other means of transportation;
   to send or transport by ship, rail, truck, plane, etc.
9. [Naut.] to take in (water) over the side, as a vessel does when waves break over it.
10. to bring (an object) into a ship or boat.
11. to engage (someone) for service on a ship.
12. to fix in a ship or boat in the proper place for use.
13. Nautical, Naval Terms to place (an oar) in proper position for rowing. Cf. boat (def. 13).
14. to send away:
    They shipped the kids off to camp for the summer.

v.i. 

15. to go on board or travel by ship;
    embark.
16. to engage to serve on a ship.
17. ship out:
    • to leave, esp. for another country or assignment:
      He said goodby to his family and shipped out for the West Indies.
    • to send away, esp. to another country or assignment.
    • Slang Terms [Informal.] to quit, resign, or be fired from a job:
      Shape up or ship out!

• bef. 900; (noun, nominal) Middle English; Old English scip; cognate with Dutch schip, German Schiff, Old Norse, Gothic skip; (verb, verbal) Middle English s(c)hip(p)en, derivative of the noun, nominal

ship′less, adj. 
ship′less•ly, adv. 

-ship, 

1. a native English suffix of nouns denoting condition, character, office, skill, etc.:
   clerkship;
   friendship;
   statesmanship.

• Middle English, Old English -scipe; akin to shape; cognate with dialect, dialectal Frisian, dialect, dialectal Dutch schip

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ship / ʃɪp/ noun

1. a vessel propelled by engines or sails for navigating on the water, esp a large vessel that cannot be carried aboard another, as distinguished from a boat
2. a large sailing vessel with three or more square-rigged masts
3. the crew of a ship
4. short for airship, spaceship
5. when one's ship comes in ⇒ when one has become successful or wealthy

verb (ships, shipping, shipped)

1. to place, transport, or travel on any conveyance, esp aboard a ship
2. (transitive) to take (water) over the side
3. to bring or go aboard a vessel: to ship oars
4. (transitive) often followed by off: to send away, often in order to be rid of: they shipped the children off to boarding school
5. (intransitive) to engage to serve aboard a ship: I shipped aboard a Liverpool liner

Etymology: Old English scip; related to Old Norse skip, Old High German skif ship, scipfī cup

ˈshippable adjective

ship / ʃɪp/(esp in fan fiction) noun

a relationship, esp one of a romantic nature

verb

(transitive) to promote or endorse a romantic relationship between (two characters)

Etymology: 20th Century: shortened from relationship

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

-ship suffix:forming_nouns

1. indicating state or condition: fellowship
2. indicating rank, office, or position: lordship
3. indicating craft or skill: horsemanship, workmanship, scholarship

Etymology: Old English -scipe; compare shape