-
Firing
·noun Fuel; firewood or coal.
II. Firing ·noun The act of disharging firearms.
III. Firing ·noun T...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
disparting a gun
To bring the line of sight and line of metal to be parallel by setting up a mark on the muzzle-ring ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
nailing a gun
Synonymous with cloying or spiking. When necessary to abandon cannon, or when the enemy's artillery,...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
spiking a gun
Driving a large nail or iron spike into the vent, which will render the cannon unserviceable until r...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Gun
·noun Violent blasts of wind.
II. Gun ·- of <<Gin>>.
III. Gun ·noun A piece of heavy ordnance; in ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
gun
He is in the gun; he is drunk: perhaps from an allusion to a vessel called a gun, used for ale in th...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
gun
a flaggon for ale. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
gun
The usual service name for a cannon (which see); it was originally called great gun, to distinguish ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Firing pin
·add. ·- In the breech mechanism of a firearm, the pin which strikes the head of the cartridge and e...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Rapid-firing
·add. ·adj Firing shots in rapid succession.
II. Rapid-firing ·add. ·adj In Great Britain and Europ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
cease firing
The order to leave off.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
firing-party
A detachment of soldiers, marines, or small-arm men selected to fire over the grave of an individual...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
son of a gun
This phrase is heard in low language with us as in England.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
sure as a gun
Absolutely certain. A common colloquial expression.--Brockett.
There's luck, says auld Lizzy, in fa...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
carriage of a gun
The frame on which it is mounted for firing, constructed either exclusively for this purpose, or als...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chase of a gun
That part of the conical external surface extending from the moulding in front of the trunnions to t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cleat a gun, to
To nail large cleats under the trucks of the lower-deckers in bad weather, to insure their not fetch...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
face of a gun
The surface of the metal at the extremity of the muzzle.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
handles of a gun
The dolphins.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
ladle, for a gun
An instrument for charging with loose powder; formed of a cylindrical sheet of copper-tube fitted to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay a gun, to
So to direct it as that its shot may be expected to strike a given object; for which purpose its axi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
mouldings of a gun
The several rings and ornaments.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
mount a gun, to
To place it on its carriage.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
neck of a gun
The narrow part where the chase meets the swell of the muzzle.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
point a gun, to
To direct it on a given object.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
range of a gun
The horizontal distance which it will send a shot, at a stated elevation, to the point of its first ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
son of a gun
An epithet conveying contempt in a slight degree, and originally applied to boys born afloat, when w...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
A
A, a, indecl. n. (sometimes joined with littera), the first letter of the Latin alphabet, correspond...
A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.
-
a
a, prep.=ab, v. ab.
...
A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.
-
A
A. a. as an abbreviation, 1 for the praenomen Aulus.
2 for Absolvo, on the voting-tablet of a jud...
An Elementary Latin Dictionary
-
A
·- Of.
II. A ·prep In; on; at; by.
III. A ·- An expletive, void of sense, to fill up the meter.
I...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A 1
·- A registry mark given by underwriters (as at Lloyd's) to ships in first-class condition. Inferior...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-
·- A, as a prefix to English words, is derived from various sources. (1) It frequently signifies on ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A
Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, as Omega is the last. These letters occur in the text...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
a
As for example the word alarm, alarum, a bell, from the German lärm; but the military alarm on a dru...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
point-blank firing
That wherein no elevation is given to the gun, its axis being pointed for the object.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Air gun
·- A kind of gun in which the elastic force of condensed air is used to discharge the ball. The air ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Gatling gun
·- An American machine gun, consisting of a cluster of barrels which, being revolved by a crank, are...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Hotchkiss gun
·add. ·- A built-up, rifled, rapid-fire gun of oil-tempered steel, having a rectangular breechblock ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Krupp gun
·- A breech-loading steel cannon manufactured at the works of Friedrich Krupp, at Essen in Prussia. ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Maxim gun
·add. ·- A kind of machine gun;
— named after its inventor, Hiram S. Maxim.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vickers' gun
·add. ·- One of a system of guns manufactured by the firm of Vickers' Sons, at Sheffield, ·Eng. now ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Whitworth gun
·- A form of rifled cannon and small arms invented by Sir Joseph Whitworth, of Manchester, England.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wire gun
·add. ·- = Wire-wound gun.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Gun Alley
1) West out of Moorfields, in Cripplegate Ward Without (O. and M. 1677-Elmes, 1831).
In Rocque, 174...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Gun Yard
1) Out of Fore Street, in Cripplegate Ward Without (P.C. 1732).
Not named in the maps.
2) West out...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
air-gun
A silent weapon, which propels bullets by the expansive force of air only.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
armstrong gun
Invented by Sir William Armstrong. In its most familiar form, a rifled breech-loading gun of wrought...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cotton, gun
See gun-cotton.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cutty-gun
A northern term for a short pipe.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dahlgren gun
A modification of the Paixhan gun, introduced into the United States service by Lieut., now Admiral,...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
evening gun
The warning-piece, after the firing of which the sentries challenge.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
field-gun
See field-artillery.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gally-gun
A kind of culverin.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
great gun
The general sea-term for cannons, or officers of great repute.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-chambers
In early artillery, a movable chamber with a handle, like a paterero, used in loading at the breech....
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-cotton
An explosive compound, having some advantages over gunpowder, but so irregular hitherto in its actio...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-fire
The morning or evening guns, familiarly termed "the admiral falling down the hatchway."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-gear
Everything pertaining to its handling.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-harpoon
See harpoon.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-ladle
See ladle, for a gun.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-lod
A vessel filled with combustibles, but rather for explosion than as a fire-ship.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-metal
The alloy from which brass guns are cast consists of 100 parts of copper to 10 of tin, retaining muc...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-pendulum
See ballistic pendulum.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-room
A compartment on the after-end of the lower gun-deck of large ships of war, partly occupied by the j...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-searcher
An iron instrument with several sharp-pointed prongs and a wooden handle: it is used to find whether...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-shot
Formerly, the distance up to which a gun would throw a shot direct to its mark, without added elevat...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-sight
See disparting a gun, or sights.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-slings
Long rope grommets used for hoisting in and mounting them.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun-stones
An old term for cannon-balls, from stones having been first supplied to the ordnance and used for th...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hand-gun
An old term for small arms in the times of Henry VII. and VIII.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
morning gun
The gun fired from the admiral's or senior officer's ship, to announce day-break, which is answered ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
needle-gun
One wherein the ignition for the cartridge is produced by the penetration of the detonating priming ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
paixhan gun
Introduced by the French General Paixhan about 1830, for the horizontal firing of heavy shells; havi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pivot-gun
Mounted on a frame carriage which can be turned radially, so as to point the piece in any direction....
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
rodman gun
One cast on the excellent method of Captain Rodman, formerly of the United States Ordnance viz. on a...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
whitworth gun
A piece rifled by having a twisted hexagonal bore, and throwing a more elongated shot with a sharper...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
arms of a great gun
The trunnions.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hammer, of a gun-lock
Formerly the steel covering of the pan from which the flint of the cock struck sparks on to the prim...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
loops of a gun-carriage
The iron eye-bolts to which the tackles are hooked.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
notch-sight of a gun
A sight having a V-shaped notch, wherein the eye easily finds the lowest or central point.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
sole of a gun-port
The lower part of it, more properly called port-sill.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
transom of a gun-carriage
A cross piece of timber uniting the cheeks; generally between the trunnion-holes and the fore axle-t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
vent-field of a gun
The raised tablet in the metal near the breech in which the vent is bored.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
A cappella
·- A time indication, equivalent to alla breve.
II. A cappella ·- In church or chapel style;
— sai...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A cheval
·add. ·- Astride; with a part on each side;
— used specif. in designating the position of an army w...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A fortiori
·- With stronger reason.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A posteriori
·- Applied to knowledge which is based upon or derived from facts through induction or experiment; i...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A priori
·- Applied to knowledge and conceptions assumed, or presupposed, as prior to experience, in order to...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-mornings
·adv In the morning; every morning.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-sea
·adv On the sea; at sea; toward the sea.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
A-tiptoe
·adv On tiptoe; eagerly expecting.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Due-a
·noun ·see Do-a.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Pi-a
·add. ·noun The <<Pineapple>>.
II. Pi-a ·add. ·noun Pi-a cloth or the fiber of which it is made.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vicu-a
·noun ·Alt. of <<Vicugna>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
a-many
a great number, pronounced Meyny. North.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-scat
broken like an egg. Dev.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-slat
crack'd like an earthen vessel. Dev.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-burton
The situation of casks when they are stowed in the hold athwart ship, or in a line with the beam.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-cockbill
(see cock-bill). The anchor hangs by its ring at the cat-head, in a position for dropping.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-hull
A ship under bare poles and her helm a-lee, driving from wind and sea, stern foremost. Also a ship d...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-lee
The contrary of a-weather: the position of the helm when its tiller is borne over to the lee-side of...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-poise
Said of a vessel properly trimmed.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-starboard
The opposite to a-port.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-stay
Said of the anchor when, in heaving in, the cable forms such an angle with the surface as to appear ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-trip
The anchor is a-trip, or a-weigh, when the purchase has just made it break ground, or raised it clea...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-wash
Reefs even with the surface. The anchor just rising to the water's edge, in heaving up.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-weather
The position of the helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship, in the direction...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-weigh
The anchor being a-trip, or after breaking out of the ground.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Hydropneumatic gun carriage
·add. ·- A disappearing gun carriage in which the recoil is checked by cylinders containing liquid a...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vickers-Maxim gun
·add. ·- One of a system of ordnance, including machine, quick-fire, coast, and field guns, of all c...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wire-wound gun
·add. ·- A gun in the construction of which an inner tube (either entire or in segments) is wound wi...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Gun Square, Houndsditch
East out of Houndsditch, at 150 and 151. In Portsoken Ward (P.O. Directory).
Former name : "Gun Yar...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
Gun Yard, Houndsditch
See Gun Square, Houndsditch.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
gun-tackle purchase
A tackle composed of a rope rove through two single blocks, the standing part being made fast to the...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gun and head money
Given to the captors of an enemy's ship of war destroyed, or deserted, in fight. It was formerly ass...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
head and gun-money
An encouragement in the prize acts by which £5 a head is given to the captors for every person on bo...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
mine a-se on a bandbox
An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is wanted, just as a band...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
A B C
·- The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of finance.
II. A B C ·- A primer for teach...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
All-a-mort
·adj ·see <<Alamort>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Black-a-vised
·adj Dark-visaged; swart.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Bric-a brac
·noun Miscellaneous curiosities and works of decorative art, considered collectively.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Char-a-bancs
·noun A long, light, open vehicle, with benches or seats running lengthwise.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chars-a-banc
·pl of Char-a-bancs.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cock-a-hoop
·adj Boastful; defiant; exulting. Also used adverbially.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cornet-a-piston
·noun A brass wind instrument, like the trumpet, furnished with valves moved by small pistons or sli...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cornets-a-piston
·pl of Cornet-a-piston.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Dos-a-dos
·add. ·noun A sofa, open carriage, or the like, so constructed that the occupants sit back to back.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Flute a bec
·- A beak flute, an older form of the flute, played with a mouthpiece resembling a beak, and held li...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Jack-a-dandy
·noun A little dandy; a little, foppish, impertinent fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Jack-a-lent
·noun A small stuffed puppet to be pelted in Lent; hence, a simple fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Penny-a-liner
·noun One who furnishes matter to public journals at so much a line; a poor writer for hire; a hack ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Pi-a cloth
·add. ·- A fine fabric for scarfs, handkerchiefs, embroidery, ·etc., woven from the fiber obtained f...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Tete-a-tete
·adj Private; confidential; familiar.
II. Tete-a-tete ·noun A short sofa intended to accomodate two...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vis-a-vis
·adv Face to face.
II. Vis-a-vis ·noun One who, or that which, is face to face with another; ·esp.,...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wait-a-bit
·add. ·noun The prickly ash.
II. Wait-a-bit ·add. ·noun The grapple plant.
III. Wait-a-bit ·add. ·...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wait-a-while
·add. ·noun = Wait-a-bit.
II. Wait-a-while ·add. ·noun One of the Australian wattle trees (Acacia c...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Adam, a type
The apostle Paul speaks of Adam as "the figure of him who was to come." On this account our Lord is ...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
all-a-mort
Struck dumb, confounded. What, sweet one, all-a-mort? SHAKESPEARE.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
black a-se
A copper or kettle. The pot calls the kettle black a-se. Cant.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to run a buck
To poll a bad vote at an election.--IRISH TERM.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
chick-a-biddy
A chicken, so called to and by little children.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
cock-a-whoop
Elevated, in high-spirits, transported with joy.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to couch a hogshead
To lie down to sleep. CANT.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to fight a crib
To make a sham fight. BEAR GARDEN TERM.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
cure a-se
A dyachilon plaister, applied to the parts galled by riding.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
dram-a-tick
A dram served upon credit.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
drop a cog
To let fall, with design, a piece of gold or silver, in order to draw in and cheat the person who se...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to fire a slug
To drink a dram.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
foxing a boot
Mending the foot by capping it.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
mumble a sparrow
A cruel sport practised at wakes and fairs, in the following manner: A cock sparrow whose wings are ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
pit-a-pat
The palpitation of the heart: as, my heart went pit-a-pat. Pintledy-pantledy; the same.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to ring a peal
To scold; chiefly applied to women. His wife rung him a fine peal!
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
slug-a-bed
A drone, one that cannot rise in the morning.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
squint-a-pipes
A squinting man or woman; said to be born in the middle of the week, and looking both ways for Sunda...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
wear a--e
A one-horse chaise.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
bull-a-bull
or Bullybul
n.
a child'scorruption of the Maori word Poroporo (q.v.), aflowering shrub of New Zeal...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
cock-a-bully
n. a popular name for the NewZealand fish Galaxias fasciatus, Gray, a corruption ofits Maori name Ko...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
make a light
expressive pigeon-English. An aboriginal'sphrase for to look for, to find. «You been make a lightyar...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
mark, a good
Australian slang.
1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 233:
«I wondered often what was the meaning of ...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
stay-a-while
n.
a tangled bush; sometimescalled Wait-a-while (q.v.).
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
wait-a-while
n.
also called Stay-a-while: a thicket tree.
1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 306:
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to bear a hand
A seaman's phrase. To be ready ; to go to work; to assist.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to catch a tartar
To attack one of superior strength or abilities. This saying originated from the story of an Irish s...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a caper
(Italian, tagliar le capriole.) The act of dancing in a frolicksome manner.--Todd. We use it also in...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a dash
In modern colloquial speech, to make a great show; to make a figure.--Johnson. A fashionable or gail...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a figure
To make an appearance, either good or bad.
We are not as much surprised at the poor figure cut by t...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a swathe
The same as to cut a dash.
The expression is generally applied to a person walking who is gaily dre...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to deacon a calf
is to knock it in the head as soon as it is born.--Connecticut.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to drive a bargain
To make a bargain. A common colloquial expression, as old as the language.
This bargain is ful dr...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to girdle a tree
In America, to make a circular incision, like a belt, through the bark and alburnum of a tree to kil...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to have a say
To express an opinion. A phrase in vulgar use.
I picked out "Henry Clay" for my baby's name, but t...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to make a raise
A vulgar expression, meaning to raise; procure; obtain.
I made a raise of a horse and saw, after be...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to raise a bead
This expression is used at the West, and means to bring to a head, to make succeed. The figure is ta...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to sky a copper
To toss up a cent.
Didge said he was like skying a copper--head or tail.--Crockett, Tour.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to trig a wheel
To stop a wheel so as to prevent its going backwards or forwards.--Bailey. Still used in New England...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
jacket-a-wad
an ignis fatuus. Exm.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
scotch a wheel
to stop it from going backward. Lane.
...
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
-
cutting a feather
It is common when a ship has too broad a bow to say, "She will not cut a feather," meaning that she ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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dick-a-dilver
A name for the periwinkle on our eastern coasts.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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docking a ship
The act of drawing her into dock, and placing her properly on blocks, in order to give her the requi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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doubling a cape
In navigation, is to sail round or pass beyond it, so that the point of land separates the ship from...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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driving a charge
Ramming home the loading of a piece of ordnance.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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fall! a fall!
The cry to denote that the harpoon has been effectively delivered into the body of a whale.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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frapping a ship
The act of passing four or five turns of a large cable-laid rope round a ship's hull when it is appr...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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get-a-pull
The order to haul in more of a rope or tackle.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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give a spell
To intermit or relieve work. (See spell.)
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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shifting a tackle
The act of removing the blocks of a tackle to a greater distance from each other, in order to extend...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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show a leg!
An exclamation from the boatswain's mate, or master-at-arms, for people to show that they are awake ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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spanning a harpoon
Fixing the line which connects the harpoon and its staff. The harpoon iron is a socketed tool, taper...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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swifting a ship
Either bringing her aground or upon a careen; also passing cables round her bottom and upper-works, ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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taking a departure
Determining the place of a ship by means of the bearing and distance of a known object, and assuming...
The Sailor's Word-Book