dogship

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The character or individuality of a dog.

   “True, Shalto was a remarkable dog, and his master was fully aware of his many excellencies, for after a companionhip of twelve years, Shalto died, leaving so deep an impression behind him that he was celebrated in verse, and his friend would never hazard a second dog. Now this is what I call the true sentiment in dogship.”

   “The philosophy of it is this: a snap or two at your hat will suffice to let the steam off—the wrathful passion escapes, and having displayed the courage of his dogship, he is satisfied .”

   “Still, however, as an economiic investment he runs considerably more to liabilities than to assets, and if the owner alone sufferedd all the damage done by his animal, no other person would object to his worship's ownership's dogship.”

   “Papa dog rounded off the lesson thus: “My children! Try to be good dogs in life. Never deviate from the path of dogship.””

2. (countable, uncountable)A dog, especially when referred to formally.

   “When the man turned the lantern so that its light shown on his dogship, he perceived that the animal did not move, but kept his large eyes coolly and steadily fixed on him."”

   “The little dog trotted contentedly along in the dust, rousing himself occasionally to chase a rabbit which would disappear with great rapidity and a whist of his long ears into some nearby retreat, leaving his dogship to return in chagrin to his deserted post.”

3. (countable, uncountable)A term of opprobrium.

   “Not mine hand, Surely; but say my foot should strike a liar, the blow should do his dogship honour; yea, Were all high titles guilt about his head, Scarce were he worthy to be spurned of me.”

   “In Mars' as well as Venus' wars, Ere flames attack our huts and tow'rs, and burn you dogship out of doors.”

   “Your excellency must have meant to say dogship. Surely it was a mistake. A lordship? For me...”

4. (countable, uncountable)The leader of a war party.

   “Plain was it that to his dogship's way of thinking it was a very bungling fashion of doing business, thus to suffer this red barbarian to pass from under their hands, untouched by tomahawk or tooth— betraying, as it did, a weakness of feeling altogether unbeseeming warriors of the first blood like themselves.”

5. (informal)An experimental model of an aircraft.

   “It is now planned to have complete drawing release for the pilot production AMCS units before the first missile is fired from any aircraft. (Initial firings will be from an A3 dogship).”

   “The Sperry Gyroscope Company's DC-3 “dogship” proved the concept in test flights at the Sperry plant in Long Island, New York.”

   “After this, the Mikoyan OKB undertook a redesign of the fuel system; the changes were to be verified on the third production MiG-31, '201 Blue' (f/n 0102-01), a long-serving 'dogship'.”