Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Man-of-war
Manˊ-of-war′
,n
;
pl.
Men-of-war
. 1.
A government vessel employed for the purposes of war, esp. one of large size; a ship of war.
[wns=1]
Syn. – ship of the line.
Man-of-war hawk
(Zool.)
, the frigate bird.
– Man-of-war’s man
, a sailor serving in a ship of war.
– Portuguese man-of-war
(Zool.)
, any species of the genus
Physalia
; it is a hydrozoan having both medusa and polyp stages present in a single colony. It floats on the surface of the sea by a buoyant bladderlike structure, from which dangle multiple long tentacles with stinging cells. Its can cause severe rashes when it comes in contact with humans swimming in the area. See Physalia
.