Smaller and faster than ships of the line (the principal vessels of naval warfare), frigates served as scouts or as escorts protecting merchant convoys; they also cruised the seas as merchant raiders themselves.

A frigate (/ ˈ f r ɪ ɡ ɪ t /) is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuverability, intended to be used in scouting, escort and patrol roles. The term was ...

frigate, any of several different types of small and fast warships, usually either the square-rigged sailing ships of the 17th–19th century or the radar- and sonar-equipped antisubmarine and air-defense ships of World War II and after.

Frigates were ever on the watch in the Straits to chase any French vessels that left port. He was preparing to board, the frigates at the time running ten knots, when the French ship …

Frigates were ever on the watch in the Straits to chase any French vessels that left port. He was preparing to board, the frigates at the time running ten knots, when the French ship …

Define frigate. frigate synonyms, frigate pronunciation, frigate translation, English dictionary definition of frigate. n. 1. A warship that is smaller than a destroyer and used primarily for escort duty. 2. A high-speed, medium-sized sailing war vessel of the 1600s, 1700s,...

A frigate is a large boat that's used by a military during wartime. If you join the Navy, you may be assigned to work on a frigate. Ahoy! The word frigate has been used for a variety of seagoing …

FRIGATE definition: a medium-sized square-rigged warship of the 18th and 19th centuries | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples

a fast naval vessel of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, generally having a lofty ship rig and heavily armed on one or two decks.

During the Second World War (1939–45) the term frigate was revived for a class of medium-speed anti-submarine vessels used on convoy escort work which, in size, were between corvettes and destroyer escorts (called ‘patrol frigates’ in the US Navy).