pocket battleship
noun
a small heavily armed and armored warship serving as a battleship because of limitations imposed by treaty.
Origin of pocket battleship
First recorded in 1925–30
Words nearby pocket battleship
poché,
pocill.,
pock,
pocked,
pocket,
pocket battleship,
pocket billiards,
pocket borough,
pocket calculator,
pocket chisel,
pocket door
British Dictionary definitions for pocket battleship
pocket battleship
noun
a small heavily armoured and armed battle cruiser specially built to conform with treaty limitations on tonnage and armament, esp any of those built by Germany in the 1930s