minesweepern.
/ˈmʌɪnˌswiːpə/, U.S. /ˈmaɪnˌswipər/ A ship equipped for detecting and removing explosive mines which are tethered underwater or floating.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > war vessel > [noun] > mine-sweeper
minesweeper1904
sweeper1915
M/S1923
R-boat1942
mine-hunter1964
1904 Atlanta Constit. 29 Nov. 7/2 (headline) Mine sweeper went down. Two men lost during British naval training operations.
1914 Illustr. London News 22 Aug. 286/3 Mine-sweepers..precede the fleet to sea and clear its path of hostile mines.
1940 V. Bartlett & W. G. Williams War of 1939 II. iii. 106 Mine damage at this time was not confined to merchant vessels, the British minesweepers Mastiff and Aragonite being sunk with casualties.
1972 Daily Tel. 21 Jan. 2/8 Helicopters..will make spotter sweeps to help the minesweepers to guard the six-mile limit fishing areas against unauthorised vessels.
1989 Ships Mar. 10/1 The ‘River’ Class minesweeper Dovey underwent a docking/maintenance period at Hall Russell's Aberdeen yard.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1904