Definition

Noun: - A group from a ship's crew organized for duties on shore: A "landing party" refers to a specific team of sailors or crew members who are assembled and tasked with carrying out a particular mission or set of responsibilities on land after disembarking from their ship.

Usage

• The term is primarily used in naval, maritime, or historical contexts to describe a group sent ashore for purposes such as exploration, reconnaissance, resupply, or military action.
• It functions as a compound noun. The focus is on the organized group () and its purpose of going onto land ().

Examples

• The captain assembled a landing party to investigate the source of the smoke signal on the island.
• During the age of sail, a landing party would often be sent to gather fresh water and provisions.
• The security of the landing party was ensured by a detachment of marines.

Advanced Usage

• The concept implies a temporary detachment from the main ship's company with a defined objective, after which the party is expected to return.
• In science fiction, the term is often used analogously for teams leaving a starship to explore a planet.

Variants and Related Words

• Shore party: A similar term, often used in modern military contexts for a group that handles the unloading and movement of cargo from ship to shore.
• Away team: A term popularized by science fiction (e.g., ) with a similar meaning to "landing party."

Synonyms

• Shore detachment
• Expeditionary force (in a broader, often larger-scale military context)

Notes

• "Landing party" is a fixed compound noun. Its meaning is specific and not simply derived from the separate words "landing" and "party."
• It is not commonly used in everyday modern English outside of specific historical, naval, or genre contexts.

Noun

1. a part of a ship's company organized for special duties ashore