torpedo boat

a small, fast, highly maneuverable boat used for torpedoing enemy shipping.

Origin of torpedo boat

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10

The German Admiral claims29 that the action of the torpedo-boat flotillas had achieved its purpose.

A True Account of the Battle of Jutland, May 31, 1916 |Thomas Goddard Frothingham
We had them once a week, and torpedo-boat skirmishes on off days.

A Padre in France |George A. Birmingham
All the officers and men were saved, being picked out of the water by the Turkish torpedo-boat after "A E 2" had sunk.

The Story of Our Submarines |John Graham Bower
Then we cut across the Solent towards Southsea, watching the weird evolutions of a 35-knot torpedo-boat.

The Relief of Mafeking |Filson Young

The fleet consisted of seven battleships, two armoured cruisers, and some protected cruisers and torpedo-boat destroyers.

Famous Sea Fights |John Richard Hale

torpedo boat

(formerly) a small high-speed warship designed to carry out torpedo attacks in coastal waters