Definition of "guarda-costa" [guarda-costa]

• Nautical, a Spanish gunboat mostly employed against smugglers; a coast-guard vessel. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "That's how we come to have delayed until this Spanish fleet is fetched round from La Guayra by a guarda-costa; and if ye hadn't lost La Foudre, and so reduced our fleet from three ships to two, we should even now be able to fight our way through with a reasonable hope of succeeding."
• ""You are thankful he did not sight a guarda-costa.""
• "He ran past the guarda-costa, drawing her fire, but no great harm done; shot up under the sterns of the two prizes, that were lying not two hundred yards apart; and raked 'em with half-a-broadside apiece -- no time, you see, to reload between."