/dred"nawt'/ , n.
1. a type of battleship armed with heavy-caliber guns in turrets: so called from the British battleship Dreadnought, launched in 1906, the first of its type.
2. an outer garment of heavy woolen cloth.
3. a thick cloth with a long pile.
Also, dreadnaught .
[ 1800-10; DREAD + NOUGHT ]