Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - fleet

1. n. 1 a a number of warships under one commander-in-chief. b (prec. by the) all the warships and merchant-ships of a nation. 2 a number of ships, aircraft, buses, lorries, taxis, etc. operating together or owned by one proprietor. Phrases and idioms Fleet Admiral see ADMIRAL. Fleet Air Arm hist. the aviation service of the Royal Navy. Etymology: OE fleot ship, shipping f. fleotan float, FLEET(5) 2. adj. poet. literary swift; nimble. Derivatives fleetly adv. fleetness n. Etymology: prob. f. ON flj{oacute}tr f. Gmc: cf. FLEET(5) 3. n. dial. 1 a creek; an inlet. 2 (the Fleet) a an underground stream running into the Thames east of Fleet St. b hist. a prison that stood near it. Phrases and idioms Fleet Street 1 the London press. 2 British journalism or journalists. Etymology: OE fleot f. Gmc: cf. FLEET(5) 4. adj. & adv. dial. --adj. (of water) shallow. --adv. at or to a small depth (plough fleet). Etymology: orig. uncert.: perh. f. OE fleat (unrecorded), rel. to FLEET(5) 5. v.intr. archaic 1 glide away; vanish; be transitory. 2 (usu. foll. by away) (of time) pass rapidly; slip away. 3 move swiftly; fly. Etymology: OE fleotan float, swim f. Gmc