1794, shortened from line-of-battle ship (1705), one large enough to take part in a main attack (formerly one of 74-plus guns); from battle (n.) + ship (n.). Later in U.S. Navy in reference to a class [..]

a warship with heavy armour and big guns

pantsershif

(n) large and heavily armoured warship

See also: Rodney.

A type of large, heavily armored warship of the second half of the 19th century and first half of the 20th century armed with heavy-caliber guns, designed to fight other battleships in a line of battl [..]

a large, heavily armored warship with a main battery consisting of the largest calibre of guns. Source: Maritime Curators Group: Manual of Curatorship

(military) Large capital warship displacing tens of thousands of tons, heavily armoured and armed with big guns. Battleships are now obsolescent, replaced by smaller vessels with guided missiles. Ty [..]