-
To-do
·noun Bustle; stir; commotion; ado.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Ne'er-do-well
·add. ·noun A person who never does, or fares, well; a good for nothing.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
do
do, dĕdi, dătum, dăre (also in a longer form, dănunt = dant, Pac., Naev., and Caecil. ap. Non. 97, 1...
A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.
-
do
dō (old subj.duis, duit, duint, etc.), dedī, datus, are 1 DA-, to hand over, deliver, give up, ren...
An Elementary Latin Dictionary
-
Do
·noun Deed; act; fear.
II. Do ·noun A cheat; a swindle.
III. Do ·noun Ado; bustle; stir; to do.
I...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Do.
·noun An abbreviation of Ditto.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
do
To do any one; to rob and cheat him. I have done him; I have robbed him. Also to overcome in a boxin...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to take to do
To take to task; to reprove.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
do for, to
A double-barrelled expression, meaning alike to take care of or provide for an individual, or to rui...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
We'll
·- Contraction for we will or we shall.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well
·vt To pour forth, as from a well.
II. Well ·vt Considerably; not a little; far.
III. Well ·adj Be...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well
(Heb. beer), to be distinguished from a fountain (Heb. ain). A "beer" was a deep shaft, bored far un...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
to well
To divide unfairly. To conceal part. A cant phrase used by thieves, where one of the party conceals ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
well
[from the Anglo-Saxon wyll]. A bulk-headed inclosure in the middle of a ship's hold, defending the p...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Well
Wells in Palestine are usually excavated from the solid limestone rock, sometimes with steps to desc...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
well to live
To be in easy circumstances; to live comfortably.
I wanted to see how these Northerners could buy o...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
well off, to
A mode of shutting off a leak by surrounding it by timbers screwed home through the lining to the ti...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Do-all
·noun General manager; factotum.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Do-little
·noun One who performs little though professing much.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Do-naught
·noun A lazy, good-for-nothing fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Do-nothing
·adj Doing nothing; inactive; idle; lazy; as, a do-nothing policy.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Do-nothingism
·noun ·Alt. of Do-nothingness.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Do-nothingness
·noun Inactivity; habitual sloth; idleness.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
to do over
Carries the same meaning, but is not so briefly expressed: the former having received the polish of ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
do don't
for do not or don't, is a common expression in Georgia, and not by any means confined to the uneduca...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
do tell!
A vulgar exclamation common tn New England, and synonymous with really! indeed! is it possible!
A b...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
derring-do
A Spenserian term for deeds of arms.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
do-little
, or do-little sword.
The old term for a dirk.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Well-being
·noun The state or condition of being well; welfare; happiness; prosperity; as, virtue is essential ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-born
·adj Born of a noble or respect able family; not of mean birth.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-bred
·adj Having good breeding; refined in manners; polite; cultivated.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-draining
·p.pr. & ·vb.n. of <<Welldrain>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-favored
·adj Handsome; wellformed; beautiful; pleasing to the eye.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-informed
·adj Correctly informed; provided with information; well furnished with authentic knowledge; intelli...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-intentioned
·adj Having upright intentions or honorable purposes.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-known
·adj Fully known; generally known or acknowledged.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-liking
·adj Being in good condition.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-mannered
·adj Polite; well-bred; complaisant; courteous.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-meaner
·noun One whose intention is good.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-meaning
·adj Having a good intention.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-natured
·adj Good-natured; kind.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-nigh
·adv Almost; nearly.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-plighted
·adj Being well folded.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-read
·adj Of extensive reading; deeply versed;
— often followed by in.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-seen
·adj Having seen much; hence, accomplished; experienced.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-set
·adj Properly or firmly set.
II. Well-set ·adj Well put together; having symmetry of parts.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-sped
·adj Having good success.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-spoken
·adj Spoken with propriety; as, well-spoken words.
II. Well-spoken ·adj Speaking well; speaking wit...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-willer
·noun One who wishes well, or means kindly.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Well-wish
·noun A wish of happiness.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Dragon well
(Neh. 2:13), supposed by some to be identical with the Pool of Gihon.
...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Jacob's Well
(John 4:5, 6). This is one of the few sites in Palestine about which there is no dispute. It was dug...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Aldgate Well
See Aldgate Pump.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Crowder's Well
Stow speaks of it as a Pool by St. Giles' Churchyard, in his time mostly stopped up, but the spring ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
(St.) Giles' Well
Mentioned in Circuit of St. Giles' parish in Strype, ed 1720, 1. iii. 87.
Qy. = Crowder's Well?
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Well Alley
1) See Well Court1, Shoe Lane.
2) East out of Mark Lane, north of Hart Street. In Tower Ward (O. an...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Well Close
1) See Well Yard, Little Britain.
2) See Wellclose Square.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Well Court
1) East out of Shoe Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (Strype, 1720, to .L.G. 1758).
"Well Alley" in...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Well Street
1) South out of Jewin Street to Nicholl Square (P.O. Directory). In Cripplegate Ward Without.
First...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Well Yard
1) South out of Peter's Court, east of the Royal Mint (Rocque, 1746-O.S. 25 in. 1880).
Removed for ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
well-hung
The blowen was nutts upon the kiddey because he is well-hung; the girl is pleased with the youth bec...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
well-in
adj.
answering to `well off,' `well todo,' `wealthy'; and ordinarily used, in Australia, instead of...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to drive well
A Southern phrase, thus explained by Mr. Lavis: This gentleman applied for a situation as teacher in...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
chain-well
, or locker
A receptacle below deck for containing the chain-cable, which is passed thither throug...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hot-well
In a steamer, a reservoir from whence to feed the boiler with the warm water received out of the con...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
screw-well
A hollow trunk over the screw of a steamer, for allowing the propeller to be disconnected and lifted...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
well-cabins
Those in brigs and small vessels, which have no after-windows or thorough draught.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
well-end
See pump-foot.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
well found
Fully equipped.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
well-grown
A term implying that the grain of the wood follows the shape required, as in knee-timber and the lik...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Jacobs Well
a deep spring in the vicinity of Shechem (called Sychar in Christ's time and Nablus at the present d...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
To
·prep Addition; union; accumulation.
II. To ·prep Character; condition of being; purpose subserved ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-
·prep An obsolete intensive prefix used in the formation of compound verbs; as in to-beat, to-break,...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
to
for at or in, is an exceedingly common vulgarism in the Northern States. We often hear such vile exp...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
bring-to, to
To bend, as to bring-to a sail to the yard. Also, to check the course of a ship by trimming the sail...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
broach-to, to
To fly up into the wind. It generally happens when a ship is carrying a press of canvas with the win...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
heave-to, to
To put a vessel in the position of lying-to, by adjusting her sails so as to counteract each other, ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lie-to, to
To cause a vessel to keep her head steady as regards a gale, so that a heavy sea may not tumble into...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
round-to, to
To bring to, or haul to the wind by means of the helm. To go round, is to tack or wear.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Do Little Alley
See Do Little Lane.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Do Little Lane
,Do Little Alley
South out of Carter Lane to Knightrider Street. In Castle Baynard Ward (Boyle, 1799...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Do-Little's Yard
West out of Mugwell Street, in Farringdon Ward Within (det.) (O. and M. 1677).
Seems to occupy the ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
domine do little
An impotent old fellow.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
die nor do
He'll neither DIE NOR DO ; spoken of a person in a lingering illness. See DAW, in Ray's Words.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
Crowder's Well Alley
See Well Street.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Jacob's Well Alley
1) East out of Golden Lane, in Cripplegate Ward Without (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755).
The site is ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Jacob's Well Passage
South out of Barbican, at No. 20, to Paul's Alley, crossing the Metropolitan Railway lines (P.O. Dir...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Katherine Well Alley
Mentioned in the register of burials at St. Lawrence Pountney in 1601-2 (Wilson, p.11).
"Katherine ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Well Court, Alley
East out of the Minories, at No.22 (O. and M. 1677-L,C.C. List, 1901).
Called "Well Alley" (O. and ...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
well-an-ere!
alas! Derb. N .
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
well-a-day!
alas! Various.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
very well thus
The order to the helmsman to keep the ship in her present direction, when sailing close-hauled. This...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
well there, belay!
Synonymous with that will do.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
put to sea, to
To quit a port or roadstead, and proceed to the destination.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
turn to windward, to
To gain on the wind by alternate tacking. It is when a ship endeavours to make progress against the ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Indo-do-Chinese languages
·add. ·- A family of languages, mostly of the isolating type, although some are agglutinative, spoke...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
do you hear there?
An inquiry following an order, but very often needlessly.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Lean-to
·adj Having only one slope or pitch;
— said of a roof.
II. Lean-to ·noun A shed or slight building...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Set-to
·noun A contest in boxing, in an argument, or the like.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-beat
·vt To beat thoroughly or severely.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-break
·vt To break completely; to break in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-brest
·vt To burst or break in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-day
·noun The present day.
II. To-day ·prep On this day; on the present day.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-fall
·noun A lean-to. ·see Lean-to.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-name
·noun A name added, for the sake of distinction, to one's surname, or used instead of it.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-rend
·vt To rend in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-rent
·Impf & ·p.p. of To-rend.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
to bam
To impose on any one by a falsity; also to jeer or make fun of any one.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to bamboozle
To make a fool of any one, to humbug or impose on him.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to baste
To beat. I'll give him his bastings, I'll beat him heartily.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to bishop
the balls, a term used among printers, to water them.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to bitch
To yield, or give up an attempt through fear. To stand bitch; to make tea, or do the honours of the ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to bite
To over-reach, or impose; also to steal.--Cant. --Biting was once esteemed a kind of wit, similar to...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to bug
A cant word among journeymen hatters, signifying the exchanging some of the dearest materials of whi...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to grab
To seize a man. The pigs grabbed the kiddey for a crack: the officers, seized the youth for a burgla...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to top
To cheat, or trick: also to insult: he thought to have topped upon me. Top; the signal among taylors...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to tower
To overlook, to rise aloft as in a high tower.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to twig
To observe. Twig the cull, he is peery; observe the fellow, he is watching us. Also to disengage, sn...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
hump, to
v.
to shoulder, carry on the back;especially, to hump the swag, or bluey, or drum. See Swag, Bluey,...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
jump, to
v.
to take possession of a claim(mining) on land, on the ground that a former possessor hasabandone...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to buckle-to
To set about any task with energy and a determination to effect the object. It probably comes from h...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cotton to
'To cotton to one,' is to take a liking to him; to fancy him; literally to stick to him, as cotton w...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
abase, to
An old word signifying to lower a flag or sail. Abaisser is in use in the French marine, and both ma...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
abate, to
An old Anglo-Norman word from abattre, to beat down or destroy; as, to abate a castle or fort, is to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
abet, to
To excite or encourage a common word, greatly in use at boat-racings, and other competitive acts.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
abrase, to
To dubb or smooth planks.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
accoil, to
To coil together, by folding round. (See coil.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
accompany, to
To sail together; to sail in convoy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
accost, to
To pass within hail of a ship; to sail coastwise; to approach, to draw near, or come side by side.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
adjourn, to
To put off till another day. Adjournments can be made in courts-martial from day to day, Sundays exc...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
adjust, to
To arrange an instrument for use and observation; as, to adjust a sextant, or the escapement of a ch...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
advance, to
An old word, meaning to raise to honour.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
aid, to
To succour; to supply with provisions or stores.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
allow, to
To concede a destined portion of stores, &c.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
annul, to
To nullify a signal.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
answer, to
To reply, to succeed; as, the frigate has answered the signal. This boat will not answer.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
commute, to
To lighten the sentence of a court-martial, on a recommendation of the court to the commander-in-chi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
compass, to
To curve; also to obtain one's object.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
complain, to
The creaking of masts, or timbers, when over-pressed, without any apparent external defect. One man ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
compliment, to
To render naval or military honour where due.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
conquer, to
To overcome decidedly.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
consign, to
To send a consignment of goods to an agent or factor for sale or disposal.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
copper, to
To cover the ship's bottom with prepared copper.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
corn, to
A remainder of the Anglo-Saxon ge-cyrned, salted. To preserve meat for a time by salting it slightly...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
couple, to
To bend two hawsers together; coupling links of a cable; coupling shackles.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cripple, to
To disable an enemy's ship by wounding his masts, yards, and steerage gear, thereby placing him hors...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cund, to
To give notice which way a shoal of fish is gone.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cure, to
To salt meat or fish.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
debark, to
To land; to go on shore.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
decamp, to
To raise the camp; the breaking up from a place where an army has been encamped.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
deck, to
A word formerly in use for to trim, as "we deckt up our sails."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
derrick, to
A cant term for setting out on a small not over-creditable enterprise. The act is said to be named f...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
diddle, to
To deceive.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
ding, to
To dash down or throw with violence.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dip, to
To lower. An object is said to be dipping when by refraction it is visible just above the horizon. A...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
discourse, to
An old sea term to traverse to and fro off the proper course.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dish, to
To supplant, ruin, or frustrate.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dismount, to
To break the carriages of guns, and thereby render them unfit for service. Also, in gun exercise, to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
disorganize, to
To degrade a man-of-war to a privateer by irregularity.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dive, to
To descend or plunge voluntarily head-foremost under the water. To go off deck in the watch. A ship ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
doff, to
To put aside.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
double, to
To cover a ship with an extra planking, usually of 4 inches, either internally or externally, when t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
douse, to
To lower or slacken down suddenly; expressed of a sail in a squall of wind, an extended hawser, &c. ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dout, to
To put out a light; to extinguish; do out. Shakspeare makes the dauphin of France say in "King Henry...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dress, to
To place a fleet in organized order; also, to arrange men properly in ranks; to present a true conti...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
drive, to
[from the Anglo-Saxon dryfan].
A ship drives when her anchor trips or will not hold. She drives to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dubb, to
To smooth and cut off with an adze the superfluous wood.
♦ To dubb a vessel bright, is to remove t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
duck, to
To dive, or immerse another under water; or to avoid a shot.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
egg, to
To instigate, incite, provoke, to urge on: from the Anglo-Saxon eggion.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
eke, to
[Anglo-Saxon eácan, to prolong.] To make anything go far by reduction and moderation, as in shorteni...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
embark, to
To go on board, or to put on board a vessel.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
endanger, to
To expose to peril.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
enrol, to
To enter the name on the roll of a corps.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
ensconce, to
To intrench; to protect by a slight fortification.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
equip, to
A term frequently applied to the business of fitting a ship for a trading voyage, or arming her for ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
export, to
To send goods or commodities out of a country, for the purposes of traffic, under the general name o...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
faff, to
To blow in flaws.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fag, to
to tire
♦ A fag. A deputy labouring-man, or one who works hard for another.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fall, to
A town or fortress is said to fall when it is compelled to surrender to besiegers.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fang, to
To pour water into a pump in order to fetch it, when otherwise the boxes do not hold the water left ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
flying-to
Is when a vessel, from sailing free or having tacked, and her head thrown much to leeward, is coming...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
founder, to
to fill with water and go down.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
frap, to
To bind tightly together. To pass lines round a sail to keep it from blowing loose. To secure the fa...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
free, to
♦ To free a prisoner. To restore him to liberty.
♦ To free a pump. To disengage or clear it.
♦ T...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
freeze, to
To congeal water or any fluid. Thus sea-water freezes at 28° 5′ Fah.; fresh water at 32°; mercury at...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
freshen, to
To relieve a rope of its strain, or danger of chafing, by shifting or removing its place of nip.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gip, to
To take the entrails out of fishes.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gird, to
To bind; used formerly for striking a blow.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
glent, to
To turn aside or quit the original direction, as a shot does from accidentally impinging on a hard s...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
glower, to
to stare or look intently.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
grabble, to
To endeavour to hook a sunk article. To catch fish by hand in a brook.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
grapple, to
To hook with a grapnel; to lay hold of. First used by Duilius to prevent the escape of the Carthagin...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
grave, to
To clean a vessel's bottom, and pay it over.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
grill, to
To broil on the bars of the galley-range, as implied by its French derivation.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
griped-to
The situation of a boat when secured by gripes.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
ground, to
To take the bottom or shore; to be run aground through ignorance, violence, or accident.
♦ To stri...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
guddle, to
To catch fish with the hands by groping along a stream's bank.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gudge, to
To poke or prod for fish under stones and banks of a river.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book