出典:Wiktionary
Contraction of line of battle ship, a warship large enough to be in the line of battle. See also battleship, contracted from the same phrase.
ship of the line (複数形 ships of the line)
出典:Wikipedia
出典:『Wikipedia』 (2011/07/14 07:55 UTC 版)
A ship-of-the-line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear. Since these engagements were almost invariably won by the heaviest ships carrying the most powerful guns, the natural progression was to build sailing vessels that were the largest and most powerful of their time.