Also (7 crosier), 8 cruzer, 7–9 cruizer. [f. CRUISE v. + -ER1, or immed. a. Du. kruiser: cf. also F. croiseur (ship and captain), croisière a cruise (1696 in Jal), cruising ground, cruising fleet.] A person or a ship that cruises; spec. a war-ship commissioned to cruise for protection of commerce, pursuit of an enemy’s ships, capture of slavers, etc. In 18th c. commonly applied to privateers. Now, in the British Navy, a class of war-ships specially constructed for cruising.
1679. G. R., trans. Boyatuau’s Theat. World, II. 302. Forty Ships which he took from the Crosiers [? croisers] or Pyrates.
1695. Lond. Gaz., No. 3061/1. They have at present 6 Frigats abroad, with some other Cruisers.
1723. De Foe, Col. Jack (1840), 191. A French cruiser or privateer of twenty-six guns.
1757. J. Lind, Lett. Navy, Pref. p. viii. A few cruizers then would have made us masters of the Mediterranean, and not only protected our own trade there, but destroyed the French.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, ii. (1872), 9. The boldest cruiser in that section of the … fleet.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv., 110. The efforts … made by our cruisers in those seas to put down the slave-trade.
fig. 1698. Farquhar, Love & Bottle, IV. iii. Ha! There’s a stately cruiser [a woman]; I must give her one chase.
