swing, to

The Sailor's Word-Book

A ship is said to swing to the wind or tide, when they change their direction while she is lying at anchor.


♦ To swing ship for local attraction and adjustment of compasses. This is done by taking the bearings of a very distant object at each point of the compass to which her head is brought; also, by using a theodolite on shore, and taking its bearing from the ship, and the observer's head from the theodolite.

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