-
Vent
·vt To scent, as a hound.
II. Vent ·noun Sale; opportunity to sell; market.
III. Vent ·noun A bait...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
vent
In artillery, the small aperture near the breech by which the fire of the priming is communicated to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
serve the vent, to
To stop it with the thumb.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Stop
·vi To cease from any motion, or course of action.
II. Stop ·vt To make fast; to <<Stopper>>.
III....
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
to stop
To visit; to stay; as, 'When you come to New York, stop with me instead of going to a hotel.'
Those...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
stop
A small projection on the outside of the cheeks of a lower mast, at the upper parts of the hounds. A...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
vent-bit
A peculiar augur or screw gimlet used for clearing the vent of a gun when obstructed.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
vent-piece
The movable fitment which closes the breech and contains the vent in Armstrong breech-loading guns.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
vent-plug
A fid or stopple made of leather or oakum fitting in the vent of a piece to stop it against weather,...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Long-stop
·noun One who is set to stop balls which pass the wicket keeper.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Stop order
·add. ·- An order that aims to limit losses by fixing a figure at which purchases shall be sold or s...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Stop-gap
·noun That which closes or fills up an opening or gap; hence, a temporary expedient.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Stop-over
·add. ·noun Act or privilege of stopping over.
II. Stop-over ·adj Permitting one to stop over; as, ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
stop her!
An order to check the cable in being payed out. Also, a self-explanatory phrase to direct the engine...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
stop-water
Anything tending to impede the sailing of a ship, by towing overboard. Also, a name for particular t...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
nines, to the
An expression to denote complete.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
sheer to the anchor, to
To direct the ship's bows by the helm to the place where the anchor lies, while the cable is being h...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Colossians, The Epistle To The
was written by the apostle St. Paul during his first captivity at Rome. (Acts 28:16) (A.D. 62.) The ...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Galatians, The Epistle To The
was written by the apostle St. Paul not long after his journey through Galatia and Phrygia, (Acts 18...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Vol-au-vent
·noun A light puff paste, with a raised border, filled, after baking, usually with a ragout of fowl,...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
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.
-
stop hole abbey
The nick name of the chief rendzvous of the canting crew of beggars, gypsies, cheats, thieves, &c. &...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
The
·vi ·see <<Thee>>.
II. The (·art·def) A word placed before nouns to limit or individualize their me...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Colossians, Epistle to the
Was written by Paul at Rome during his first imprisonment there (Acts 28:16, 30), probably in the sp...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Romans, Epistle to the
This epistle was probably written at Corinth. Phoebe (Rom. 16:1) of Cenchrea conveyed it to Rome, an...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Thessalonians, Epistles to the
The first epistle to the Thessalonians was the first of all Paul's epistles. It was in all probabili...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Passage to the Hospital
See Christ Church Passage.
...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
lead, to strike the
See above. Used figurativelyfor to succeed.
1874. Garnet Walch, `Head over Heels,' p. 74:
«We coul...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
up to the hub
To the extreme point. The figure is that of a vehicle sunk in the mud up to the hub of the wheels, w...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
battle the watch, to
To shift as well as we can; to contend with a difficulty. To depend on one's own exertions.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bitt the cable, to
To put it round the bitts, in order to fasten it, or slacken it out gradually, which last is called ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
box the compass, to
Not only to repeat the names of the thirty-two points in order and backwards, but also to be able to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bringing-to the yard
Hoisting up a sail, and bending it to its yard.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
brought to the gangway
Punished.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
capstan, to man the
To place the sailors at it in readiness to heave.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
capstan, to paul the
To drop all the pauls into their sockets, to prevent the capstan from recoiling during any pause of ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
capstan, to rig the
To fix the bars in their respective holes, thrust in the pins to confine them, and reeve the swifter...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
close the wind, to
To haul to it.
♦ Close upon a tack or bowline, or close by a wind, is when the wind is on either b...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cut the cable, to
A manœuvre sometimes necessary for making a ship cast the right way, or when the anchor cannot be we...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
drag the anchor, to
The act of the anchors coming home.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
feel the helm, to
To have good steerage way, carrying taut weather-helm, which gives command of steerage. Also said of...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fish the anchor, to
To turn up the flukes of an anchor to the gunwale for stowage, after being catted.
♦ Other fish to...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
freshen the nip, to
To veer a small portion of cable through the hawse-hole, or heave a little in, in order to let anoth...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
gain the wind, to
To arrive on the weather-side of some other vessel in sight, when both are plying to windward.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
kick the bucket, to
To expire; an inconsiderate phrase for dying.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lay the land, to
Barely to lose sight of it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
lie the course, to
When the vessel's head is in the direction wished.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
make the land, to
To see it from a distance after a voyage.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
miller, to drown the
To put an overdose of water to grog.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
misrepresentation to the underwriters
, of any fact or circumstance material to the risk of insuring, whether by the insured or his agent,...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
moor the boat, to
To fasten her with two ropes, so that the one shall counteract the other, and keep her in a steady p...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
muffle the oars, to
To put some matting or canvas round the loom when rowing, to prevent its making a noise against the ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
muzzle to the left!
See muzzle to the right!
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
muzzle to the right!
, or muzzle to the left!
The order given to trim the gun to the object.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
raise the metal to
To elevate the breech, and depress thereby the muzzle of a gun.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
raise the wind, to
To make an exertion; to cast about for funds.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
rig the capstan, to
To fix the bars in the drumhead in readiness for heaving; not forgetting to pin and swift. (See caps...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
scour the seas, to
To infest the ocean as a pirate.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
set the chase, to
To mark well the position of the vessel chased by bearing, so that by standing away from her on one ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
shoot the compass, to
To shoot wide of the mark.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
shoot the sun, to
To take its meridional altitude; literally aiming at the reflected sun through the telescope of the ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
sight the anchor, to
To heave it up in sight, in order to prove that it is clear, when, from the ship having gone over it...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
stream the buoy, to
To let the buoy fall from the after-part of the ship's side into the water, preparatory to letting g...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
strip the masts, to
To clear the masts of their rigging.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
suck the monkey, to
To rob the grog-can. (See monkey.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
surge the capstan, to
To slacken the rope heaved round upon its barrel, to prevent its parts from riding or getting foul.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
top the glim, to
To snuff the candle.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
top the officer, to
To arrogate superiority.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
trench the ballast, to
To divide the ballast in a ship's hold to get at a leak, or to trim and stow it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
weather the cape, to
To become experienced; as it implies sailing round Cape Horn, or the Cape of Good Hope.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Hebrews, Epistle To The
The author-There has been a wide difference of opinion respecting the authorship of this epistle.
F...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Philippians, Epistle To The
was St. Paul from Rome in A.D. 62 or 63. St. Paul's connection with Philippi was of a peculiar chara...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Romans, Epistle To The
The date of this epistle is fixed at the time of the visit recorded in Acts 20:3 during the winter a...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
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
-
Corinthians, First Epistle to the
Was written from Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:8) about the time of the Passover in the third year of the apost...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
Corinthians, Second Epistle to the
Shortly after writing his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul left Ephesus, where intense exciteme...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
to stand up to the rack
A metaphorical expression of the same meaning as the like choice phrases, 'to come to the scratch;' ...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to make the fur fly
To claw; scratch; wound severely. Used figuratively.
Mr. Hannegan was greatly excited, which proved...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
muckson up to the huckson
dirty up to the knuckles. S.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
bring by the lee, to
To incline so rapidly to leeward of the course when the ship sails large, or nearly before the wind,...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bring home the anchor, to
is to weigh it. It applies also when the flukes slip or will not hold; a ship then brings home her a...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
capstan, to come up the
In one sense is to lift the pauls and walk back, or turn the capstan the contrary way, thereby slack...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
capstan, to heave at the
To urge it round, by pushing against the bars, as already described.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
close with the land, to
To approach near to it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
die on the fin, to
An expression applied to whales, which when dying rise to the surface, after the final dive, with on...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
drag for the anchor, to
The same as creep or sweep.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
fly the sheets, to let
To let them go suddenly.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
judge-advocate to the forces
A legal officer whose duty it is to investigate offences previous to determining on sending them bef...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
marry, to, the ropes, braces, or falls
To hold both together, and by pressure haul in both equally. Also so to join the ends of two ropes, ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
north passage to the indies
The grand object of our maritime expeditions at a remote period, prosecuted with a boldness, dexteri...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
run, to lower by the
To let go altogether, instead of lowering with a turn on a cleat or bitt-head.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
shake in the wind, to
To bring a vessel's head so near the wind, when close-hauled, as to shiver the sails.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
span in the rigging, to
To draw the upper parts of the shrouds together by tackles, in order to seize on the cat-harping leg...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
stripped to the girt-line
All the standing-rigging and furniture having been cleared off the masts in the course of dismantlin...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
tell that to the marines!
A sailor's exclamation when an improbable story is related to him.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
toss up the bunt, to
In furling a sail, to make its final package at the centre of the yard when in its skin.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
turn the hands up, to
To summon the entire crew on deck.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
veer away the cable, to
To slack and let it run out.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
walk the quarter-deck, to
A phrase signifying to take the rank of an officer.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
whistle for the wind, to
A superstitious practice among old seamen, who are equally scrupulous to avoid whistling during a he...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
whistling psalms to the taffrail
Expending advice to no purpose.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Corinthians, First Epistle To The
was written by the apostle St. Paul toward the close of his nearly three-years stay at Ephesus, (Act...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Corinthians, Second Epistle To The
was written a few months subsequent to the first, in the same year-about the autumn of A.D. 57 or 58...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Thessalonians, First Epistle To The
was written by the apostle Paul at Corinth, a few months after he had founded the church at Thessalo...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
Thessalonians, Second Epistle To The
appears to have been written from Corinth not very long after the first, for Silvanus and Timotheus ...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
put to sea, to
To quit a port or roadstead, and proceed to the destination.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
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
-
Set-to
·noun A contest in boxing, in an argument, or the like.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-beat
·vt To beat thoroughly or severely.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-break
·vt To break completely; to break in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-brest
·vt To burst or break in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-day
·noun The present day.
II. To-day ·prep On this day; on the present day.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-do
·noun Bustle; stir; commotion; ado.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-fall
·noun A lean-to. ·see Lean-to.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
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
-
To-rend
·vt To rend in pieces.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
To-rent
·Impf & ·p.p. of To-rend.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
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 top
To cheat, or trick: also to insult: he thought to have topped upon me. Top; the signal among taylors...
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
-
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
-
abet, to
To excite or encourage a common word, greatly in use at boat-racings, and other competitive acts.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
abrase, to
To dubb or smooth planks.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
accoil, to
To coil together, by folding round. (See coil.)
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
accompany, to
To sail together; to sail in convoy.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
aid, to
To succour; to supply with provisions or stores.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
allow, to
To concede a destined portion of stores, &c.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
annul, to
To nullify a signal.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
answer, to
To reply, to succeed; as, the frigate has answered the signal. This boat will not answer.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
complain, to
The creaking of masts, or timbers, when over-pressed, without any apparent external defect. One man ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
compliment, to
To render naval or military honour where due.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
conquer, to
To overcome decidedly.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
consign, to
To send a consignment of goods to an agent or factor for sale or disposal.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
copper, to
To cover the ship's bottom with prepared copper.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
couple, to
To bend two hawsers together; coupling links of a cable; coupling shackles.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
cund, to
To give notice which way a shoal of fish is gone.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cure, to
To salt meat or fish.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
debark, to
To land; to go on shore.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
decamp, to
To raise the camp; the breaking up from a place where an army has been encamped.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
deck, to
A word formerly in use for to trim, as "we deckt up our sails."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
diddle, to
To deceive.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
ding, to
To dash down or throw with violence.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
discourse, to
An old sea term to traverse to and fro off the proper course.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dish, to
To supplant, ruin, or frustrate.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
gip, to
To take the entrails out of fishes.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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gird, to
To bind; used formerly for striking a blow.
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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
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glower, to
to stare or look intently.
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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.
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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