thresher

thresher
/thresh"euhr/, n.
1. a person or thing that threshes.
2. Also, thrasher. Also called thresher shark. a large shark of the genus Alopias, esp. A. vulpinus, which threshes the water with its long tail to drive together the small fish on which it feeds.
[1350-1400; ME thressher. See THRESH, -ER1]

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 first of a class of U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines, launched in 1960. On April 10, 1963, during sea trials after commissioning, it sank with 129 persons on board about 200 miles (300 km) off the New England coast. The sinking, considered to be the worst disaster in submarine history, was determined by naval authorities to have been caused by faulty brazing of pipe joints. Seawater is thought to have entered the submarine, short-circuiting electrical systems and shutting down the nuclear reactor, and the powerless boat sank to depths where it was crushed by water pressure. In August 1963, wreckage of the vessel was spotted by the bathyscaphe Trieste at a depth of about 8,500 feet (2,600 m). Thresher, launched July 9, 1960, displaced 3,750 tons and was 279 feet (about 85 m) long. It was the most advanced attack submarine of the time, capable of greater speeds and dive depths than any previous class of submarine. Thirteen other boats of the Thresher class were launched between 1961 and 1966.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Thresher — may refer to:*Threshing machine (or thresher), a device that first separates the head of a stalk of grain from the straw, and then further separates the kernel from the rest of the head *Thresher shark, a type of shark with a distinctly scythe… …   Wikipedia

  • Thresher — ist: ein Codename eines Notebooks, siehe Apple PowerBook G4 12 Zoll ein U Boot der US Marine, siehe USS Thresher (SSN 593) und die danach benannte Thresher Klasse Siehe auch: Thrasher (Begriffsklärung) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • thresher — late 14c., agent noun from THRESH (Cf. thresh). The thresher shark (c.1600) so called for its long upper tail shape, which resembles a threshing tool …   Etymology dictionary

  • Thresher — Thresh er, n. Same as {Thrasher}. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thresher — ► NOUN 1) a person or machine that threshes. 2) a shark with a long upper lobe to the tail, used to lash the water to guide its prey …   English terms dictionary

  • thresher — [thresh′ər] n. 1. a person who threshes 2. THRESHING MACHINE 3. any of a family (Alopiidae, order Lamniformes) of large sharks of temperate and tropical seas, having a very long upper tail lobe, which supposedly threshes the water and drives its… …   English World dictionary

  • Thresher — Recorded as Thrasher and Thresher, this is an English surname of great antiquity. It is occupational and originates from the Olde English word pryscere meaning to beat or thrash, and used in a transferred sense to describe the action of removing… …   Surnames reference

  • Thresher — Thrasher Thrash er, Thresher Thresh er, n. 1. One who, or that which, thrashes grain; a thrashing machine. [1913 Webster] 2. (Zo[ o]l.) A large and voracious shark ({Alopias vulpes}), remarkable for the great length of the upper lobe of its tail …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thresher — noun Date: 13th century 1. one that threshes; especially threshing machine 2. thresher shark …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • thresher — /ˈθrɛʃə/ (say threshuh) noun 1. someone or something that threshes. 2. someone who separates grain or seeds from wheat, etc., by beating with a flail, using a threshing machine, etc. 3. Also, thrasher, thresher shark. a large shark of the genus… …  

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