\Dread"nought`\, n.
1. A British battleship, completed in 1906 -- 1907, having an
   armament consisting of ten 12-inch guns, and of
   twenty-four 12-pound quick-fire guns for protection
   against torpedo boats. This was the first battleship of
   the type characterized by a main armament of big guns all
   of the same caliber. She has a displacement of 17,900 tons
   at load draft, and a speed of 21 knots per hour.



2. Any battleship having its main armament entirely of big
   guns all of one caliber. Since the Dreadnought was built,
   the caliber of the heaviest guns has increased from 12 in.
   to 131/2 in., 14 in., and 15 in., and the displacement of
   the largest batteships from 18,000 tons to 30,000 tons and
   upwards. The term {superdreadnought} is popularly applied
   to battleships with such increased displacement and gun
   caliber.