noun

ship

SHIHP

noun

A large vessel built to carry people or cargo across water.

"The cruise ship left the harbour at dawn."

"Cargo ships carry most of the world's traded goods."

verb

To send goods to a buyer or recipient, by any form of transport.

"We ship orders within 24 hours of purchase."

"The factory ships parts to dealers across the country."

To release a finished product to the public; to launch.

"The team finally shipped the new app update."

(informal, fandom) To want two characters or people to be in a romantic relationship.

"Fans have shipped the two lead characters since season one."

How to Use Ship

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA large boat, or the act of sending something (a package, a product, or even a hoped-for couple) on its way.

Common mistake

"Ship" as a fan term (wanting two characters together) is unrelated to the boat or delivery meanings — context makes it obvious which sense is meant.

Common pairings

ship an order ship a product aboard a ship ship two characters

Word Forms

shipped past tense, shipped past tense, ships plural, ships singular, ships singular

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The cruise _____ left the harbour at dawn.

Etymology

From Old English scip, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic word for a vessel, ultimately possibly linked to a root meaning "to cut" or "to hollow out" — as ships were once made from hollowed logs.

Rhymes for ship

hip whip chip worship warship kinship airship township hardship starship lordship flagship

See all rhymes for ship →