Definition

Proper noun 1. A legendary ghost ship: A phantom sailing vessel said to be doomed to sail the oceans forever, most famously associated with sightings in storms near the Cape of Good Hope. 2. The captain of this ghost ship: The legendary captain, often named Vanderdecken or Falkenburg, who is condemned for his blasphemy or stubbornness to eternally captain the phantom ship, unable to make port.

Usage Examples

• Referring to the ship:
  • Sailors told tales of spotting the Flying Dutchman in the mist.
  • The legend says the Flying Dutchman appears as an omen of doom.
• Referring to the captain:
  • In the opera, the Flying Dutchman is a tormented soul seeking redemption.
  • The curse doomed the Flying Dutchman to sail the seas for eternity.

Advanced Usage

• As a metaphor for something doomed or cursed: The term can be used figuratively to describe a person, project, or endeavor that seems fated to fail or continue endlessly without success.
  • That old, unsellable house has become the Flying Dutchman of the real estate market.

Variants and Related Words

• Dutchman (noun): A native or inhabitant of the Netherlands. (Note: This is the standard, non-legendary term from which the compound "Flying Dutchman" is derived.)

Synonyms

• Phantom ship
• Ghost ship
• Wandering Jew (a different legend of eternal wandering)

Related Idioms & Phrases

• Like the Flying Dutchman: Used to describe something that is perpetually in motion or unable to find rest or a destination.
  • After his retirement, he traveled constantly, like the Flying Dutchman.

Noun

1. a phantom ship that is said to appear in storms near the Cape of Good Hope
2. the captain of a phantom ship (the Flying Dutchman) who was condemned to sail against the wind until Judgment Day