From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
cruise
n : an ocean trip taken for pleasure [syn: sail]
v 1: drive around aimlessly but ostentatiously and at leisure;
"She cruised the neighborhood in her new convertible"
2: travel at a moderate speed; "Please keep your seat belt
fastened while the plane is reaching cruising altitude"
3: look for a sexual partner in a public place; "The men were
cruising the park"
4: sail or travel about for pleasure, relaxation, or
sightseeing; "We were cruising in the Caribbean"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cruise \Cruise\, v. t.
1. To cruise over or about.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2. (Forestry) To explore with reference to capacity for the
production of lumber; as, to cruise a section of land.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cruise \Cruise\, n.
1. A voyage made in various directions, as of an armed
vessel, for the protection of other vessels, or in search
of an enemy; a sailing to and fro, as for exploration or
for pleasure.
[1913 Webster]
He feigned a compliance with some of his men, who
were bent upon going a cruise to Manilla. --Dampier.
[1913 Webster]
2. Hence: A voyage aboard a ship, in which the activities on
the ship itself form a major objective of the voyage; --
used particularly of vacation voyages, or voyages during
which some special activity occurs on board the ship, such
as a series of seminars.
[PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cruise \Cruise\ (kr[udd]s), n.
See Cruse, a small bottle.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cruise \Cruise\ (kr[udd]z), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cruised
(kr[udd]zd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cruising.] [D. kruisen to move
crosswise or in a zigzag, to cruise, fr. kruis cross, fr. OF.
crois, croiz, F. croix, or directly fr. OF. croisier, F.
croiser, to cross, cruise, fr. crois a cross. See Cross.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To sail back and forth on the ocean; to sail, as for the
protection of commerce, in search of an enemy, for
plunder, or for pleasure.
[1913 Webster]
Note: A ship cruises in any particular sea or ocean; as, in
the Baltic or in the Atlantic. She cruises off any
cape; as, off the Lizard; off Ushant. She cruises on a
coast; as, on the coast of Africa. A pirate cruises to
seize vessels; a yacht cruises for the pleasure of the
owner.
[1913 Webster]
Ships of war were sent to cruise near the isle of
Bute. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]
'Mid sands, and rocks, and storms to cruise for
pleasure. --Young.
[1913 Webster]
2. To wander hither and thither on land. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]
3. (Forestry) To inspect forest land for the purpose of
estimating the quantity of lumber it will yield.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
4. To travel primarily for pleasure, or without any fixed
purpose, rather than with the main goal of reaching a
particular destination. To cruise the streets of town,
looking for an interesting party to crash.
[PJC]