A large swelling wave. Also, the tapered part of the whelps between the chocks of the capstan, upon which the messenger is readily surged.
♦ To surge, is to slacken up suddenly a portion of a rope where it renders round a pin, windlass, or capstan; as, "Surge the messenger." A ship is said to surge on a reef when she rises and falls with the heave of the sea, so as to strike heavily.