, or grapling.
A sort of small anchor for boats, having a ring at one end, and four palmed claws at the other.
♦ Fire grapnel. Resembling the former, but its flukes are furnished with strong fish-hook barbs on their points, usually fixed by a chain on the yard-arms of a ship, to grapple any adversary whom she intends to board, and particularly requisite in fire-ships. Also, used to grapple ships on fire, in order to tow them away from injuring other vessels.