-
Top
·noun Top-boots.
II. Top ·noun Eve; verge; point.
III. Top ·noun The head, or upper part, of a pla...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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top
A sort of platform placed over the head of the lower mast, from which it projects like a scaffold. T...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top a boom, to
To raise up one end of it by hoisting on the lift, as the spanker-boom is lifted before setting the ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top a yard or boom, to
To raise up one end of it by hoisting on the lift, as the spanker-boom is lifted before setting the ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top the glim, to
To snuff the candle.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top the officer, to
To arrogate superiority.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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To
·prep Addition; union; accumulation.
II. To ·prep Character; condition of being; purpose subserved ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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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
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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.
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High-top
·noun A ship's masthead.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top fermentation
·add. ·- An alcoholic fermentation during which the yeast cells are carried to the top of the fermen...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top out
·add. ·- To top off; to finish by putting on a cap of top (uppermost) course (called a top``ping-out...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top rake
·add. ·- The angle that the front edge of the point of a tool is set back from the normal to the sur...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-armor
·noun A top railing supported by stanchions and equipped with netting.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-block
·noun A large ironbound block strapped with a hook, and, when used, hung to an eyebolt in the cap, —...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-boots
·noun ·pl High boots, having generally a band of some kind of light-colored leather around the upper...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-chain
·noun A chain for slinging the lower yards, in time of action, to prevent their falling, if the rope...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-cloth
·noun A piece of canvas used to cover the hammocks which are lashed to the top in action to protect ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-drain
·vt To drain the surface of, as land; as, to top-drain a field or farm.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-draining
·noun The act or practice of drining the surface of land.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-dress
·vt To apply a surface dressing of manureto,as land.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-dressed
·Impf & ·p.p. of Top-dress.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-dressing
·p.pr. & ·vb.n. of Top-dress.
II. Top-dressing ·noun The act of applying a dressing of manure to th...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-hamper
·noun The upper rigging, spars, ·etc., of a ship.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-heavy
·adj Having the top or upper part too heavy for the lower part.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-light
·noun A lantern or light on the top of a vessel.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-proud
·adj Proud to the highest degree.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-rope
·noun A rope used for hoisting and lowering a topmast, and for other purposes.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-shaped
·adj Having the shape of a top; (Bot.) cone-shaped, with the apex downward; turbinate.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-shell
·noun Any one of numerous species of marine top-shaped shells of the genus Trochus, or family Trochi...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-tackle
·noun A tackle used in hoisting and lowering the topmast.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-timbers
·noun The highest timbers on the side of a vessel, being those above the futtocks.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Top-tool
·noun A tool applied to the top of the work, in distinction from a tool inserted in the anvil and on...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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Turban-top
·noun A kind of fungus with an irregularly wrinkled, somewhat globular pileus (Helvella, / Gyromitra...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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tip-top
The best: perhaps from fruit, that growing at the top of the tree being generally the best, as parta...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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top ropes
To sway away on all top ropes; to live riotously or extravagantly.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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top diver
A lover of women. An old top diver; one who has loved old hat in his time.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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top lights
The eyes. Blast your top lights.
See *curse.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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top sail
He paid his debts at Portsmouth with the topsail; i.e. he went to. sea and left them unpaid. SCT sol...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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tyburn top
or FORETOP
A wig with the foretop combed over the eyes in a knowing style; such being much worn by ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
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white-top
n.
another name for Flintwood (q.v.).
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
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tip-top
An expression often used in common conversation, denoting the utmost degree, excellence or perfectio...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
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tve-top
a garland. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
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bell-top
A name applied to the top of a quarter-gallery, when the upper stool is hollowed away, or made like ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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chain, top
A chain to sling the lower yards in time of battle, to prevent them from falling down when the ropes...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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half-top
The mode of making ships' tops in two pieces, which are afterwards secured as a whole by what are te...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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laying-top
A conical piece of wood, having three or four scores or notches on its surface, used in rope-making ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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round-top
A name which has obtained for modern tops, from the shape of the ancient ones. (See top.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-armings
Hammocks stowed inside the rigging for the protection of riflemen.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-block
A large single block with an iron strop and hook, by which it is hooked into an eye-bolt under the l...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-castles
Castellated ledgings surrounding the mast-heads of our early ships, in which the pages to the office...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-chain
A chain to sling the yards in time of battle, in case of the ropes by which they are hung being shot...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-gallant
In the Cotton MSS. this word appears as "top-garland."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-hamper
Any unnecessary weight either on a ship's decks or about her tops and rigging. Also, applied to flyi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-light
See top-lantern
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-lantern
, or top-light.
A large signal-lantern placed in the after-part of a top, in ships where an admira...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-lining
A lining on the after-part of sails, to prevent their chafing against the top-rim. Also, a platform ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-mast
The second division of a mast above the deck. (See mast.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-maul
A large hammer used to start the top-mast fid, and to beat down the top, when setting up topmast-rig...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-men
Selected smart seamen stationed in the several tops, to attend the taking in or setting of the upper...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-nettings
See top.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-rail
A rail supported on stanchions across the after-part of each of a ship's tops.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-riders
See upper futtocks-riders.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top brim
The circular sweep of the fore part of a vessel's top, and covering in the ends of the cross-trees a...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top rim or brim
The circular sweep of the fore part of a vessel's top, and covering in the ends of the cross-trees a...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-rope
The mast-rope employed to sway up a top-mast or topgallant-mast, in order to fix it in its place, or...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-sails
The second sails above the decks, extending across the top-masts, by the topsail-yards above, and by...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-sawyer
The leading man in any undertaking. One who excels; inasmuch as the man of most intellect guides the...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-side
All that part of a ship's side which is above the main-wales: that is, those strakes between the she...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-swivel
Once a favourite arm for ships' tops, but from the confined space and elevation rather an encumbranc...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-tackle
A large tackle, or properly pendant, hooked to the lower end of the top-mast top-rope, and to the de...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-timbers
The first general tier which reach the top are called long top-timbers, and those below short top-ti...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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troughton's top
See whirler
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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top-knot pigeon
n.
an Australian bird, Lopholaimus antarcticus, Shaw.
1891. Francis Adams, `John Webb's End,' p. 3...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
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long top-timbers
See long timbers
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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lop and top
The top and branches of a felled tree.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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main-top bowline
The bowline of the main-topsail. It is used to haul the weather-leech forward when on a wind, which ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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reefed top-mast
When a top-mast is sprung in or near the cap, the lower piece is cut off, and a new fid-hole cut, by...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top burton-tackle
See burton.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-sail haul!
or main-topsail haul!
When the main-sail is not set, this is the order given to haul the after-yar...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-tackle pendant
The pendant used with the above. The top-mast is swayed up by a top-rope or hawser. The pendant, whi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-timber breadth
The distance between the upper part of the same timber and the middle line.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-timber hollow
A name sometimes given to the back sweep which forms the upper part of the top-timber.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top your boom
See boom.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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top-rider futtocks
These timbers stand nearly the same as breadth-riders, and very much strengthen the top-side.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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white boot-top
A painted white line carried fore and aft on the hammock-netting base. It gives a longer appearance ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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put to sea, to
To quit a port or roadstead, and proceed to the destination.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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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
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Set-to
·noun A contest in boxing, in an argument, or the like.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-beat
·vt To beat thoroughly or severely.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-break
·vt To break completely; to break in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-brest
·vt To burst or break in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-day
·noun The present day.
II. To-day ·prep On this day; on the present day.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-do
·noun Bustle; stir; commotion; ado.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-fall
·noun A lean-to. ·see Lean-to.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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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
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To-rend
·vt To rend in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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To-rent
·Impf & ·p.p. of To-rend.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
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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 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
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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
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abet, to
To excite or encourage a common word, greatly in use at boat-racings, and other competitive acts.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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abrase, to
To dubb or smooth planks.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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accoil, to
To coil together, by folding round. (See coil.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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accompany, to
To sail together; to sail in convoy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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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
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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
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aid, to
To succour; to supply with provisions or stores.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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allow, to
To concede a destined portion of stores, &c.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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annul, to
To nullify a signal.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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answer, to
To reply, to succeed; as, the frigate has answered the signal. This boat will not answer.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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complain, to
The creaking of masts, or timbers, when over-pressed, without any apparent external defect. One man ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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compliment, to
To render naval or military honour where due.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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conquer, to
To overcome decidedly.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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consign, to
To send a consignment of goods to an agent or factor for sale or disposal.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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copper, to
To cover the ship's bottom with prepared copper.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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couple, to
To bend two hawsers together; coupling links of a cable; coupling shackles.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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cund, to
To give notice which way a shoal of fish is gone.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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cure, to
To salt meat or fish.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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debark, to
To land; to go on shore.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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decamp, to
To raise the camp; the breaking up from a place where an army has been encamped.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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deck, to
A word formerly in use for to trim, as "we deckt up our sails."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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diddle, to
To deceive.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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ding, to
To dash down or throw with violence.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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discourse, to
An old sea term to traverse to and fro off the proper course.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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dish, to
To supplant, ruin, or frustrate.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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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
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doff, to
To put aside.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
-
favour, to
to be careful of; also to be fair for.
"Favour her" is purely a seaman's term; as when it blows in...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fay, to
To fit any two pieces of wood, so as to join close and fair together; the plank is said to fay to th...
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
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gip, to
To take the entrails out of fishes.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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gird, to
To bind; used formerly for striking a blow.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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grabble, to
To endeavour to hook a sunk article. To catch fish by hand in a brook.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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grave, to
To clean a vessel's bottom, and pay it over.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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grill, to
To broil on the bars of the galley-range, as implied by its French derivation.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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griped-to
The situation of a boat when secured by gripes.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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ground, to
To take the bottom or shore; to be run aground through ignorance, violence, or accident.
♦ To stri...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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guddle, to
To catch fish with the hands by groping along a stream's bank.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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gudge, to
To poke or prod for fish under stones and banks of a river.
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The Sailor's Word-Book