fleet1
n.
- a group of ships sailing together or under the same ownership.
▸
(
the fleet)
a country's navy:
the US fleet.
- a number of vehicles or aircraft operating together.
Etymology
OE flēot ‘ship, shipping’, from flēotan (see fleet5).
fleet2
adj.
fast and nimble:
fleet of foot.
Derivative
- fleetly adv.
- fleetness n.
Etymology
C16: prob. from ON fljótr, of Gmc origin and rel. to fleet5.
fleet3
n.
dialect a marshland creek, channel, or ditch.
Etymology
OE flēot, of Gmc origin; rel. to fleet5.
fleet4
adj.
(of water) shallow.
adv.
at or to a small depth.
Etymology
C17: perh. based on an OE cognate of Du. vloot ‘shallow’ and rel. to fleet5.
fleet5
v.
literary move or pass quickly.
Etymology
OE flēotan ‘float, swim’, of Gmc origin; rel. to flit and float.