Fleet

Fleet, n. [OE. flete, fleote, AS. fleót ship, fr. fleótan to float, swim. See Fleet, v. i. and cf. Float.] A number of vessels in company, especially war vessels; also, the collective naval force of a country, etc.

Fleet captain, the senior aid of the admiral of a fleet, when a captain. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Fleet, n. [AS. fleót a place where vessels float, bay, river; akin to D. vliet rill, brook, G. fliess. See Fleet, v. i.] 1. A flood; a creek or inlet; a bay or estuary; a river; -- obsolete, except as a place name, -- as Fleet Street in London.

Together wove we nets to entrap the fish
In floods and sedgy fleets.

2. A former prison in London, which originally stood near a stream, the Fleet (now filled up).

Fleet parson, a clergyman of low character, in, or in the vicinity of, the Fleet prison, who was ready to unite persons in marriage (called Fleet marriage) at any hour, without public notice, witnesses, or consent of parents.

Fleet, v. i. (Naut.) To move or change in position; -- said of persons; as, the crew fleeted aft.

Fleet (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Fleeted; p. pr. & vb. n. Fleeting.] [OE. fleten, fleoten, to swim, AS. fleótan to swim, float; akin to D. vlieten to flow, OS. fliotan, OHG. fliozzan, G. fliessen, Icel. fljōta to float, flow, Sw. flyta, D. flyde, L. pluere to rain, Gr. ? to sail, swim, float, Skr. plu to swim, sail. √84. Cf. Fleet, n. & a., Float, Pluvial, Flow.] 1. To sail; to float. [Obs.]

And in frail wood on Adrian Gulf doth fleet.

2. To fly swiftly; to pass over quickly; to hasten; to flit as a light substance.

All the unaccomplished works of Nature's hand, . . .
Dissolved on earth, fleet hither.

3. (Naut.) To slip on the whelps or the barrel of a capstan or windlass; -- said of a cable or hawser.

Fleet, v. t. 1. To pass over rapidly; to skin the surface of; as, a ship that fleets the gulf. Spenser.

2. To hasten over; to cause to pass away lighty, or in mirth and joy.

Many young gentlemen flock to him, and fleet the time carelessly.

3. (Naut.) (a) To draw apart the blocks of; -- said of a tackle. Totten.

(b) To cause to slip down the barrel of a capstan or windlass, as a rope or chain.

Fleet, a. [Compar. Fleeter (?); superl. Fleetest.] [Cf. Icel. flj?tr quick. See Fleet, v. i.] 1. Swift in motion; moving with velocity; light and quick in going from place to place; nimble.

In mail their horses clad, yet fleet and strong.

2. Light; superficially thin; not penetrating deep, as soil. [Prov. Eng.] Mortimer.

Fleet", v. t. (Naut.) To move or change in position; used only in special phrases; as, of fleet aft the crew.

We got the long "stick" . . . down and "fleeted" aft, where it was secured.

Fleet (?), v. t. [AS. flēt cream, fr. fleótan to float. See Fleet, v. i.] To take the cream from; to skim. [Prov. Eng.] Johnson.