[syn: hydroplane, seaplane]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Hydroplane \Hy"dro*plane\, n. [Pref. hydro-, 1 + plane.]
1. A plane, or any of a number of planes, projecting from the
hull of a submarine boat, which by being elevated or
depressed cause the boat, when going ahead, to sink or
rise, after the manner of an a["e]roplane.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2. A projecting plane or fin on a hydroplane[3] to lift the
moving boat on top of the water; also, a gliding boat.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
3. a powered surface boat fitted with planes (hydroplanes[2])
projecting below the hull, designed to lift the boat, when
moving rapidly, so that the hull itself is lifted out of
the water and the boat is supported by the hydrodynamic
forces of the water on the hydroplanes[2], thus permitting
higher speeds; formerly called a gliding boat.
[Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Hydroplane \Hy"dro*plane\, v. i.
1. Of a boat, to move through water while supported by
hydroplanes[3] (see hydroplane[3], above).
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2. to move through a body of water supported by the
hydrodynamic forces on a surface, similar in principle to
a hydroplane[3]; -- said, e. .g, of automobiles skidding
on a shallow patch of water on a road when moving at high
speed, thus causing the tires to lose contact with the
road surface.
[PJC]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
hydroplane
n 1: an airplane that can land on or take off from water; "the
designer of marine aircraft demonstrated his newest
hydroplane" [syn: seaplane, hydroplane]
2: a speedboat that is equipped with winglike structures that
lift it so that it skims the water at high speeds; "the
museum houses a replica of the jet hydroplane that broke the
record" [syn: hydrofoil, hydroplane]
v 1: glide on the water in a hydroplane [syn: hydroplane,
seaplane]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
30 Moby Thesaurus words for "hydroplane":
aeroboat, aeroplane, airlift, airplane, amphibian, balloon,
be airborne, boat seaplane, clipper, cruise, drift, ferry, flit,
floatplane, fly, flying boat, glide, hop, hover, jet, navigate,
sail, sailplane, seaplane, soar, take the air, take wing, volplane,
waterplane, wing