Definition of "lightship" [light•ship]

• A ship with a powerful light or warning signals that is anchored in dangerous waters to alert other vessels. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "To reach the Elbe from the west you nave to go right outside this, round the lightship, which is off the Scharhorn, and double back."
• "Given the intrusion of the presidential race on the crustacean calendar early last week, we and other pectinophiles delayed gratifying our jones for Nantucket Island's only distinctive export (besides hand-woven "lightship" baskets) until Wednesday."
• "Mandarins, clumsy in the weak mortar lightship, stumbled against the waistband as if it were just then being discovered, while other, livelier, sours, shouted and slapped the castanet during spontaneous bid-quoting contingencies and then became very quintet and watchful."