first-rate
(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having at least 100 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 850875, and weighing approximately 2,500 t
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(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having at least 100 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 850875, and weighing approximately 2,500 tons burthen.
“Mask off for a moment. What an unscrupulous first-rate liar he is.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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(idiomatic) Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.
"I once did something right. I played first-rate basketball. I really did. And after you're first-rate at something, no matter what, it kind of takes the kick out of being second-rate."
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(UK, military, nautical, historical) A first-rate ship of the line.
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- second-rate84%
(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having 8098 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 700750, and weighing approximately 2,200 tons burthen.
- fifth-rate83%
(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy warship in the Napoleonic Era: having 3244 guns across one or two gun decks, a complement of 200300, and weighing 7001,450 tons burthen.
- fourth-rate81%
(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having 5060 guns across two gun decks, a complement of 320420, and weighing approximately 1,000 tons burthen.
- sixth-rate79%
(UK, military, nautical, historical) Of a Royal Navy warship in the Napoleonic Era: having 2028 guns on one gun deck, a complement of 140200, and weighing 340550 tons burthen.