belly

The Sailor's Word-Book

The swell of a sail. The inner or hollow part of compass timber; the outside is called the back. To belly a sail is to inflate or fill it with the wind, so as to give a taut leech.

♦ Bellying canvas is generally applied to a vessel going free, as when the belly and foot reefs which will not stand on a wind, are shaken out.

♦ Bellying to the breeze, the sails filling or being inflated by the wind.

♦ Bellying to leeward, when too much sail is injudiciously carried.

Related Words

Belly
·noun The <<Womb>>. II. Belly ·vt To cause to swell out; to <<Fill>>. III. Belly ·noun The under p...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
Belly
The seat of the carnal affections (Titus 1:12; Phil. 3:19; Rom. 16:18). The word is used symbolicall...

Easton's Bible Dictionary
belly
His eye was bigger than his belly; a saying of a person at a table, who takes more on his plate than...

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
Belly-god
·noun One whose great pleasure it is to gratify his appetite; a glutton; an <<Epicure>>. ...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
Belly-pinched
·adj Pinched with hunger; starved. ...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
Gor-belly
·noun A prominent belly; a big-bellied person. ...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
Pot-belly
·noun A protuberant belly. ...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
Speckled-belly
·noun The <<Gadwall>>. ...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
belly cheat
An apron. ...

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
belly plea
The plea of pregnancy, generally adduced by female felons capitally convicted, which they take care ...

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
belly timber
Food of all sorts. ...

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
yellow belly
A native of the Fens of Licoinshire; an allusion to the eels caught there. ...

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
silver-belly
n. name given: 1) in New SouthWales, to the fish Silver-Bream (q.v.); 2) in Tasmania,to various s...

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
yellow-belly
n. In New South Wales, the nameis given to a fresh-water fish, Ctenolates auratus;called also Golde...

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
belly-wark
the gripes. N. They also say TOOTH-WARK, and HEAD-WARK. ...

A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
yellow belly
a person born in the Fens of Lincolnshire. L. ...

A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
belly-band
A strip of canvas, half way between the close-reef and the foot of square sails, to strengthen them....

The Sailor's Word-Book
belly-guy
A tackle applied half-way up sheers, or long spars that require support in the middle. Frequently ap...

The Sailor's Word-Book
belly-mat
See paunch-mat. ...

The Sailor's Word-Book
belly-stay
Used half-mast down when a mast requires support; as belly-guy, above. ...

The Sailor's Word-Book
yellow-belly
A name given to a person born in the fens along our eastern shores: also occasionally to half-castes...

The Sailor's Word-Book
whip-belly vengeance
or pinch-gut vengeance, of which he that gets the most has the worst share. Weak or sour beer. ...

Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose