What is "powder hoy"

Powder \Pow"der\, n. [OE. poudre, pouldre, F. poudre, OF. also poldre, puldre, L. pulvis, pulveris: cf. pollen fine flour, mill dust, E. pollen. Cf. Polverine, Pulverize.]

1. The fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it falls by decay; dust.

   Grind their bones to powder small.
   --Shak.

2. An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder. See Gunpowder.

   Atlas powder, Baking powder, etc. See under Atlas, Baking, etc.

   Powder down (Zo["o]l.), the peculiar dust, or exfoliation, of powder-down feathers.

   Powder-down feather (Zo["o]l.), one of a peculiar kind of modified feathers which sometimes form patches on certain parts of some birds. They have a greasy texture and a scaly exfoliation.

   Powder-down patch (Zo["o]l.), a tuft or patch of powder-down feathers.

   Powder hose, a tube of strong linen, about an inch in diameter, filled with powder and used in firing mines.
   --Farrow.

   Powder hoy (Naut.), a vessel specially fitted to carry powder for the supply of war ships. They are usually painted red and carry a red flag.

   Powder magazine, or Powder room. See Magazine, 2.

   Powder mine, a mine exploded by gunpowder. See Mine.

   Powder monkey (Naut.), a boy formerly employed on war vessels to carry powder; a powder boy.

   Powder post. See Dry rot, under Dry.

   Powder puff. See Puff, n.

n. (context obsolete nautical English) A vessel, often painted red and carrying a red flag, that carried gunpowder to a man of war