gunboats
nounUK /ˈɡʌn.bəʊts/
US /ˈɡʌn.boʊts/
Gunboats are small boats with big guns on them.
The navy sent gunboats to protect the harbor.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Small naval vessels used for coastal defense and river patrols.
The gunboats patrolled the river during the conflict.
3. A term used in political contexts to describe military pressure or intervention.
The crisis led to gunboat diplomacy between the two nations.
4. Any small boat equipped with a mounted weapon for combat.
The rebels converted fishing boats into makeshift gunboats.