n. [ F. galéasse, galéace; cf. It. galeazza, Sp. galeaza; LL. galea a galley. See Galley. ] (Naut.) A large galley, having some features of the galleon, as broadside guns; esp., such a vessel used by the southern nations of Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. See Galleon, and Galley. [ Written variously galeas, gallias, etc. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ “The galleasses . . . were a third larger than the ordinary galley, and rowed each by three hundred galley slaves. They consisted of an enormous towering structure at the stern, a castellated structure almost equally massive in front, with seats for the rowers amidships.” Motley.

n.; pl. Galleys [ OE. gale, galeie (cf. OF. galie, galée, LL. galea, LGr. &unr_;; of unknown origin. ] 1. (Naut.) A vessel propelled by oars, whether having masts and sails or not; as: (a) A large vessel for war and national purposes; -- common in the Middle Ages, and down to the 17th century. (b) A name given by analogy to the Greek, Roman, and other ancient vessels propelled by oars. (c) A light, open boat used on the Thames by customhouse officers, press gangs, and also for pleasure. (d) One of the small boats carried by a man-of-war. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The typical galley of the Mediterranean was from one hundred to two hundred feet long, often having twenty oars on each side. It had two or three masts rigged with lateen sails, carried guns at prow and stern, and a complement of one thousand to twelve hundred men, and was very efficient in mediaeval warfare. Galleons, galliots, galleasses, half galleys, and quarter galleys were all modifications of this type. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The cookroom or kitchen and cooking apparatus of a vessel; -- sometimes on merchant vessels called the caboose. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Chem.) An oblong oven or muffle with a battery of retorts; a gallery furnace. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. [ F. galée; the same word as E. galley a vessel. ] (Print.) (a) An oblong tray of wood or brass, with upright sides, for holding type which has been set, or is to be made up, etc. (b) A proof sheet taken from type while on a galley; a galley proof. [ 1913 Webster ]

Galley slave, a person condemned, often as a punishment for crime, to work at the oar on board a galley. “To toil like a galley slave.” Macaulay.--
Galley slice (Print.), a sliding false bottom to a large galley. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] (Zool.) The European green woodpecker, called also the yaffle; also, the spotted woodpecker. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prob. so called because the numerous legs along the sides move rhythmically like the oars of a galley. ] (Zool.) A chilognath myriapod of the genus Iulus, and allied genera, having numerous short legs along the sides; a milliped or “thousand legs.” See Chilognatha. [ 1913 Webster ]