-
lay, to
To come or go; as, lay aloft, lay forward, lay aft, lay out. This is not the neuter verb lie mispron...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay-to
To bring the weather-bow to the sea, with one sail set, and the helm lashed a-lee. (See lie-to, to.)...
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
-
mount a gun, to
To place it on its carriage.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
point a gun, to
To direct it on a given object.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Lay
·vt A plan; a scheme.
II. Lay ·noun An obligation; a vow.
III. Lay ·Impf of Lie, to recline.
IV. ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
lay
Enterprize, pursuit, or attempt: to be sick of the lay. It also means a hazard or chance: he stands ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
lay
1) Terms or conditions of a bargain; price. Ex. 'I bought the articles at a good lay;' 'He bought hi...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
lay up a ship, to
To dismantle her.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
firing a gun
Introducing a story by head and shoulders. A man wanting to tell a particular story, said to the com...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
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
-
lay of a rope
The direction in which its strands are twisted; hawser is right-handed; cablet left-handed.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay her course, to
To be able to sail in the direction wished for, however barely the wind permits it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay the land, to
Barely to lose sight of it.
...
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
-
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
-
mouldings of a gun
The several rings and ornaments.
...
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
-
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
-
Lay reader
·add. ·- A layman authorized to read parts of the public service of the church.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Lay shaft
·add. ·noun ·Alt. of <<Layshaft>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
chiving lay
Cutting the braces of coaches behind, on which the coachman quitting the box, an accomplice robs the...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
clouting lay
Picking pockets of handkerchiefs.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
drag lay
Waiting in the streets to rob carts or waggons.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
dub lay
Robbing houses by picking the locks.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
fam lay
Going into a goldsmith's shop, under pretence of buying a wedding ring, and palming one or two, by d...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
kid lay
Rogues who make it their business to defraud young apprentices, or errand-boys, of goods committed t...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
mill lay
To force open the doors of houses in order to rob them.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
peter lay
The department of stealing portmanteaus, trunks, &c.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
prad lay
Cutting bags from behind horses. CANT.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
roost lay
Stealing poultry.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
smug lay
Persons who pretend to be smugglers of lace and valuable articles; these men borrow money of publica...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
toby lay
The highway. High toby man; a highway-man. Low toby man; a footpad.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
o'er- lay
a surcingle. Lane.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
lay-days
The time allowed for shipping or discharging a cargo; and if not done within the term, fair weather ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay in
The opposite of lay out. The order for men to come in from the yards after reefing or furling. It al...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay lords
The civil members of the admiralty board.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
lay in sea-stock, to
To make provision for the voyage.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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.
-
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
-
broach a business, to
To begin it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
buffet a billow, to
To work against wind and tide.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
build a chapel, to
To turn a ship suddenly by negligent steerage.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable, to coil a
To lay it in fakes and tiers one over the other.
♦ To lay a cable. (See laying.)
♦ To pay cheap ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
clinch a business, to
To finish it; to settle it beyond further dispute, as the recruit taking the shilling.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cut a stick, to
To make off clandestinely.
♦ Cut your stick, be off, or go away.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
feather, to cut a
When a ship has so sharp a bow that she makes the spray feather in cleaving it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
loose a rope, to
To cast it off, or let it go.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pay a yard, to
See pay a mast, to
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pay a mast, to
or pay a yard, to
To anoint it with tar, turpentine, rosin, tallow, or varnish; tallow is particul...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
point a sail, to
To affix points through the eyelet-holes of the reefs. (See points.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
purchase a commission, to
A practice in our army, which has been aptly termed the "buying of fetters;" it is the obtaining pre...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
raise a siege, to
To abandon or cause the abandonment of a siege.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
rate a chronometer, to
To determine its daily gaining or losing rate on mean time.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
reduce a charge, to
To diminish the contents of a cartridge, sometimes requisite during heavy firing.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
reduce a place, to
To compel its commander to surrender, or vacate it by capitulation.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
return a salute, to
Admirals are saluted, but return two guns less for each rank that the saluting officer is below the ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
risk a run, to
To take chance without convoy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
scour a beach, to
To pour a quick flanking fire along it, in order to dislodge an enemy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
shift a berth, to
To move from one anchorage to another.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
speak a vessel, to
To pass within hail of her for that purpose.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
spin a yarn, to
To tell a long story; much prized in a dreary watch, if not tedious.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
spin a twist or a yarn, to
To tell a long story; much prized in a dreary watch, if not tedious.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
spread a fleet, to
To keep more open order.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
support a friend, to
To make every exertion to assist a vessel in distress, from whatever cause. Neglect of this incurs p...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
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
-
trail a pike, to
To hold the spear end in the right hand, and the butt trailed behind the bearer.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
traverse a yard, to
To get it fore and aft.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
turn, to catch a
To pass a rope once or twice round a cleat, pin, kevel, or any other thing, to keep it fast.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
turn, to take or catch a
To pass a rope once or twice round a cleat, pin, kevel, or any other thing, to keep it fast.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
turn a turtle, to
To take the animal by seizing a flipper, and throwing him on his back, which renders him quite helpl...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
wend a course, to
To sail steadily on a given direction.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
wind a boat, to
To change her position by bringing her stern round to the place where the head was. (See wending.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
wind a ship or boat, to
To change her position by bringing her stern round to the place where the head was. (See wending.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
work a ship, to
To adapt the sails to the force and direction of the wind.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
wring a mast, to
To bend, cripple, or strain it out of its natural position by setting the shrouds up too taut. The p...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
lay, by the
When a man is paid in proportion to the success of the voyage, instead of by the month. This is comm...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
to carry a horse to water
instead of lead or ride him to water. A Southern expression.--Sherwood, Georgia.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
breeze, to kick up a
To excite disturbance, and promote a quarrelsome row.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
deaden a ship's way, to
To retard a vessel's progress by bracing in the yards, so as to reduce the effect of the sails, or b...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
double-bank a rope, to
To clap men on both sides.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gather aft a sheet, to
to pull it in, by hauling in slack.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
hold a good wind, to
To have weatherly qualities.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
kick up a dust, to
To create a row or disturbance.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
shake out, a reef, to
See let out, a reef, to
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
let out, a reef, to
, or shake out, a reef, to
To increase the dimensions of a sail, by untying the points confining a...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
luff into a harbour, to
To sail into it, shooting head to wind, gradually. A ship is accordingly said to spring her luff whe...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pay a vessel's bottom, to
To cover it with tallow, sulphur, rosin, &c. (See breaming.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
pick up a wind, to
Traverses made by oceanic voyagers; to run from one trade or prevalent wind to another, with as litt...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
roll up a sail, to
To hand it quickly.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
run down a coast, to
To sail along it, keeping parallel to or skirting its dangers.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
run down a vessel, to
To pass over, into, or foul her by running against her end-on, so as to jeopardize her.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
run out a warp, to
To carry a hawser out from the ship by a boat, and fasten it to some distant place to remove the shi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
stretch along a brace, to
To lay it along the decks in readiness for the men to lay hold of; called manning it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
thwart-marks, to a harbour
Two objects on the land, which, brought into line with each other, mark the safe course between shoa...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lie-to, in a gale
, is, by a judicious balance of canvas, to keep a ship's bow to the sea, and, with as much as she ca...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
try, to, or lie-to, in a gale
, is, by a judicious balance of canvas, to keep a ship's bow to the sea, and, with as much as she ca...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
turn in a heart, to
To seize the end of a shroud or stay, &c., securely round it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
under-run a warp, to
To haul a boat along underneath it, in order to clear it, if any part happens to be foul. To under-r...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
under-run a hawser or warp, to
To haul a boat along underneath it, in order to clear it, if any part happens to be foul. To under-r...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
veer a buoy in a ship's wake, to
To slack out a rope to which a buoy has been attached, and let it go astern, for the purpose of brin...
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 glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
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a-burton
The situation of casks when they are stowed in the hold athwart ship, or in a line with the beam.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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a-cockbill
(see cock-bill). The anchor hangs by its ring at the cat-head, in a position for dropping.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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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
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a-poise
Said of a vessel properly trimmed.
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The Sailor's Word-Book