speed-boat

A speed-boat races across the calm blue lake.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A fast motorboat designed for high-speed travel on water. Speed-boats are typically used for racing, recreation, or rapid transport.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He drove his speed-boat across the lake at an exhilarating pace. (A fast motorboat used for enjoyment on the water.)
  • The coast guard uses a speed-boat to intercept smugglers. (A rapid motorboat employed for law enforcement.)

Advanced Usage

• "to take a speed-boat": to travel by a fast motorboat.

  • They took a speed-boat to the island to save time. (They used a high-speed watercraft to shorten travel.)

• "speed-boat racing": the sport or activity of competing with fast motorboats.

  • Speed-boat racing is a thrilling but dangerous sport. (Competing with high-speed water vehicles.)

Variants and Related Words

• Speedboat (n): an alternative spelling of "speed-boat", meaning the same thing (a fast motorboat).

  • The speedboat zoomed past the sailboat. (The fast motorboat moved quickly.)

• Speedboating (n): the activity of riding or racing in a speedboat.

  • Speedboating is popular among water sports enthusiasts. (The activity of using a fast motorboat.)

Synonyms

• Motorboat: a boat powered by a motor, though not necessarily as fast as a speed-boat.
• Racer: a boat designed specifically for speed competitions.
• Cigarette boat: a type of long, narrow speed-boat used for smuggling or racing.

Related Idioms

• • "Full throttle": to go at maximum speed, often used with speed-boats.

    • He pushed the speed-boat to full throttle. (He accelerated to the fastest possible speed.)

Notes on Usage

• "Speed-boat" is often hyphenated or written as two separate words ("speed boat"), but the hyphenated form is standard in formal writing. The compound word emphasizes the boat's primary characteristic: speed.