man-o'-war

Noun

man-of-war (plural men-of-war)

1. (archaic except humorous) A man whose occupation is fighting in wars; a soldier, a warrior.
   • The LORDE is the right man of warre, LORDE is his name. The charettes of Pharaor his power, hath he caſt in to the ſee.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Exodus xv:[3]...
2. (historical) A powerful armed naval vessel, primarily one armed with cannon and propelled by sails; a warship.
   • [W]e cannot be ſecure, vvhile ſuch huge Fleets of Men of VVar, both Spaniſh, French, Dutch, and Dunkirkeers, ſome of them laden vvith Ammunition, Men, Arms, and Armies, do daily ſail on our Seas, and confront the Kings Chambers; […]1633 February 8 (Gregorian calendar), James Howell, “XI. To Sir Arthur Ingram, at York.”, in Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ. Familiar Letters Domestic and Forren. […], 3rd edition, volume I, London: […] Humphrey...

   Synonyms:

   warcraft, warship

   1. (historical, obsolete, rare) In full man-of-war's-man: a sailor serving on board an armed naval vessel.
      • [H]ee is firſt broken to the Sea in the Herring mans Skiffe or Cockboate, vvhere hauing learned to brooke all vvaters, and drinke as he can out of a tarrie Canne, and eate poore Iohn out of ſvvuttie platters vvhen he may get it vvithout butter or muſtard, there is no ho vvith him but once hartned...1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC, page 27
3. (archaic, specifically) A frigatebird (family Fregatidae), especially the magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens).
4. (US, specifically) The Arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus).