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convoy
convoy, one or more merchant ships sailing in company to the same general destination under the protection of naval ships. Convoy has a very ancient history and specific cases of ships proceeding in groups under naval protection have been traced back to the 12th century. It is probable that the general principle existed even long before this, mainly as a protection against piracy, and certainly later against privateers. However, in such cases the reason for ships sailing in company was more likely to be mutual protection rather than naval protection, as most merchant vessels in those days carried their own armament.
Warfare at sea has always resulted in an immense loss in merchant shipping. The only method of minimizing such loss is by the institution of convoy, in which adequate naval protection can usually deter enemy attacks on trade. During the Napoleonic Wars against France (1793–1815) losses of British merchant shipping were so immense that no merchant ship was allowed to sail out of convoy, and the owners and masters of those which attempted to do so were liable to a fine of £100. In the two world wars of the 20th century, immense losses of merchant shipping were again experienced, almost entirely at the hands of submarines. In the First World War (1914–18) the principle of ocean convoy was not introduced until 1917, a failure in established and proved naval practice that very nearly lost the war for the Allied nations. In the Second World War (1939–45) convoy was instituted at the outbreak of war but a lack of sufficient escort vessels resulted in under-protection of convoys and once again tremendous merchant ship losses were experienced until an adequate strength in escort vessels was built up and the signalling code of the German submarines was broken. Many of the great sea battles of naval history have been fought as a result of convoy protection, notably those of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the Glorious First of June in 1794, and the great Mediterranean sea battles of the Second World War fought around the convoys taking supplies to the besieged island of Malta. See also flota; waft, to. |
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Cite this article
"convoy." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "convoy." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-convoy.html "convoy." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-convoy.html |
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convoy
con·voy / ˈkänˌvoi/ • n. a group of ships or vehicles traveling together, typically accompanied by armed troops, warships, or other vehicles for protection. • v. / ˈkänˌvoi; kənˈvoi/ [tr.] (of a warship or armed troops) accompany (a group of ships or vehicles) for protection. PHRASES: in convoy (of traveling vehicles) as a group; together. |
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Cite this article
"convoy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "convoy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-convoy.html "convoy." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-convoy.html |
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convoy
convoy ˈkänˌvoi n. a group of ships or vehicles traveling together, typically accompanied by armed troops, warships, or other vehicles for protection.
v. ˈkänˌvoi; kənˈvoi (of a warship or armed troops) accompany (a group of ships or vehicles) for protection. in convoy (of traveling vehicles) as a group; together: the army trucks had passed through in convoy the previous evening. |
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Cite this article
"convoy." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "convoy." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-convoy.html "convoy." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-convoy.html |
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Convoy
Convoya party of ships escorting unarmed vessels; a wedding party or funeral train or cortège; a supply of provisions. Examples: convoy of friends, 1596; of honour, 1866; of meat and drink, 1691; of rude men, 1681; of mourners, 1523; of mules, 1827; of provisions, 1839; of ships, 1626; of wedding guests. |
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Cite this article
"Convoy." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Convoy." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505300444.html "Convoy." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505300444.html |
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convoy
convoy accompany, escort XIV; †convey, conduct XV. — (O)F. convoyer CONVEY.
So as sb. XVI. |
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T. F. HOAD. "convoy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "convoy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-convoy.html T. F. HOAD. "convoy." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-convoy.html |
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Convoy
Convoy (Conmhaigh) Donegal. Convoigh 1610. ‘Hound plain’.
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A. D. MILLS. "Convoy." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. A. D. MILLS. "Convoy." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Convoy.html A. D. MILLS. "Convoy." A Dictionary of British Place-Names. 2003. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Convoy.html |
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convoy
convoy
•envoi, envoy
•convoy
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Cite this article
"convoy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "convoy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-convoy.html "convoy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-convoy.html |
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