dreadnought

Etymology

Named after HMS Dreadnought, the first battleship finished of this type, from dread + nought, i.e. fearing nothing.

noun

1. (military, nautical, historical) A battleship, especially of the World War I era, in which most of the firepower is concentrated in large guns that are of the same caliber.
   Perturbed at being overtaken, the USS Texas is leading the 6th Battle Squadron at 22-and-a-half knots as the engineers pour everything they have into the effort. Behind the colossal clouds of smoke and cinders they put out come a seemingly-endless stream of dreadnoughts, battle flags flying from every mast and line they can find. It is the Grand Fleet. 17 October 2018, Drachinifel, 18:32 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 2022-08-04
2. (informal) A type of warship heavier in armour or armament than a typical battleship.
   Sovereign is the flagship of the rogue Spectre Saren. An enormous dreadnought larger than any other ship in any known fleet, Sovereign is crewed with both geth and krogan. At two kilometers long, its spinal-mounted main gun is likely capable of penetrating another dreadnought's kinetic barriers with a single shot. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Sovereign Codex entry
3. (music) A type of acoustic guitar with a very large body and a waist that is less pronounced than on other guitar shapes, producing a deep, bold sound.
4. One that is the largest or the most powerful of its kind.
   Herbert steering the dreadnought limousine through the night, black cap on his black head. 1963, J P Donleavy, A Singular Man, published 1963 (USA), page 278
5. A garment made of thick woollen cloth that can defend against storm and cold.
   "Much obliged to you, ma'am!" says Mr. Guppy, divesting himself of his wet dreadnought in the hall. 1853, Charles Dickens, chapter 7, in Bleak House
6. The cloth itself; fearnaught.
7. A person who fears nothing.
8. Something that assures against fear.