-
Testing
·noun The act of testing or proving; trial; proof.
II. Testing ·p.pr. & ·vb.n. of <<Test>>.
III. T...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
chain-cable compressor
A curved arm of iron which revolves on a bolt through an eye at one end, at the other is a larger ey...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-cable controller
A contrivance for the prevention of one part of the chain riding on another while heaving in.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-cable shackles
Used for coupling the parts of a chain-cable at various lengths, so that they may be disconnected wh...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Cable
·vt To fasten with a cable.
II. Cable ·vt & ·vi To telegraph by a submarine cable.
III. Cable ·vt ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
cable
A thick, strong rope or chain which serves to keep a ship at anchor; the rope is cable-laid, 10 inch...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Chain
·noun The warp threads of a web.
II. Chain ·vt To measure with the chain.
III. Chain ·vt To unite ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chain
1) A part of the insignia of office. A chain of gold was placed about Joseph's neck (Gen. 41:42); an...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
chain
When mountains, hills, lakes, and islands are linked together, or follow each other in succession, s...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Chain
Chains were used,
• As badges of office;
• For ornament;
• For confining prisoners.
• the gold c...
William Smith's Bible Dictionary
-
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
-
cable-sheet, sheet-cable
The spare bower cable belonging to a ship. Sheet is deemed stand-by, and is also applied to its anch...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-stream, stream-cable
A hawser or rope something smaller than the bower, used to move or hold the ship temporarily during ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Sheet cable
·- The cable belonging to the sheet anchor.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
cable-bends
Two small ropes for lashing the end of a hempen cable to its own part, in order to secure the clinch...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-bitted
So bitted as to enable the cable to be nipped or rendered with ease.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-bitts
See bitts.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-buoys
Peculiar casks employed to buoy up rope cables in a rocky anchorage, to prevent their rubbing agains...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-enough
The call when cable enough is veered to permit of the anchor being brought to the cat-head.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-hanger
A term applied to any person catching oysters in the river Medway, not free of the fishery, and who ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-stage
A place constructed in the hold, or cable-tier, for coiling cables and hawsers on.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-tier
The place in a hold, or between decks, where the cables are coiled away.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
sheet-cable
A hempen cable used when riding in deep water, where the weight of a chain cable would oppress a shi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
stream-cable
A hawser smaller than the lower cables, and used with the stream-anchor to moor the ship in a shelte...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Block chain
·add. ·- A chain in which the alternate links are broad blocks connected by thin side links pivoted ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Brequet chain
·- A watch-guard.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chain pump
·- A pump consisting of an endless chain, running over a drum or wheel by which it is moved, and dip...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chain stitch
·- An ornamental stitch like the links of a chain;
— used in crocheting, sewing, and embroidery.
I...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chain tie
·add. ·- A tie consisting of a series of connected iron bars or rods.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chain wheel
·- A chain pulley, or sprocket wheel.
II. Chain wheel ·- An inversion of the chain pump, by which i...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Crotch chain
·add. ·- A form of tackle for loading a log sideways on a sled, skidway, ·etc.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Gunter's chain
·- The chain ordinarily used in measuring land. ·see <<Chain>>, ·noun, 4, and Gunter's scale.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Safety chain
·add. ·- A normally slack chain for preventing excessive movement between a truck and a car body in ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Sheet chain
·- A chain sheet cable.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Top-chain
·noun A chain for slinging the lower yards, in time of action, to prevent their falling, if the rope...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Paul's Chain
North out of Carter Lane to St. Paul's Churchyard. In Castle Baynard Ward (O.S.1880).
First mention...
A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
-
golden-chain
n.
another name for the Laburnum (q.v.).
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
chain-bolt
A large bolt to secure the chains of the dead-eyes through the toe-link, for the purpose of securing...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-cables
Are not new; Cæsar found them on the shores of the British Channel. In 1818 I saw upwards of eighty ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-hook
An iron rod with a handling-eye at one end, and a hook at the other, for hauling the chain-cables ab...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-pipe
An aperture through which a chain-cable passes from the chain-well to the deck above.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-plates
Plates of iron with their lower ends bolted to the ship's sides under the channels, and to these pla...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-pump
This is composed of two long metal tubes let down through the decks somewhat apart from each other, ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-shot
Two balls connected either by a bar or chain, for cutting and destroying the spars and rigging of an...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-slings
Chains attached to the sling-hoop and mast-head, by which a lower yard is hung. Used for boat or any...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-stopper
There are various kinds of stoppers for chain-cables, mostly acting by clamping or compression.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain, top
A chain to sling the lower yards in time of battle, to prevent them from falling down when the ropes...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chain-well
, or locker
A receptacle below deck for containing the chain-cable, which is passed thither throug...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
top-chain
A chain to sling the yards in time of battle, in case of the ropes by which they are hung being shot...
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
-
moor a cable each way, to
Is dropping one anchor, veering out two cables' lengths, and letting go another anchor from the oppo...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Cable, George Washington
(b. 1844)
American novelist. Old Creole Days (1879), The Grandissimes (1880), Madame Delphine (1881...
Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
-
bending the cable
The operation of clinching, or tying the cable to the ring of its anchor. The term is still used for...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cable-laid rope
Is a rope of which each strand is a hawser-laid rope. Hawser-laid ropes are simple three-strand rope...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
range of cable
A sufficient quantity of cable left slack to allow the anchor to reach the ground before the cable i...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
veering cable, the
That cable which is veered out in unmooring, and not unspliced or unshackled in clearing hawse.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
Side-chain theory
·add. ·- A theory proposed by Ehrlich as a chemical explanation of immunity phenomena. In brief outl...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
short-linked chain
A cable without studs, and therefore with shorter links than those of stud-chains; such are slings a...
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-scat
broken like an egg. Dev.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
a-slat
crack'd like an earthen vessel. Dev.
...
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-burton
The situation of casks when they are stowed in the hold athwart ship, or in a line with the beam.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-cockbill
(see cock-bill). The anchor hangs by its ring at the cat-head, in a position for dropping.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
-
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
-
a-poise
Said of a vessel properly trimmed.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-starboard
The opposite to a-port.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-stay
Said of the anchor when, in heaving in, the cable forms such an angle with the surface as to appear ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-trip
The anchor is a-trip, or a-weigh, when the purchase has just made it break ground, or raised it clea...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-wash
Reefs even with the surface. The anchor just rising to the water's edge, in heaving up.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-weather
The position of the helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship, in the direction...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
a-weigh
The anchor being a-trip, or after breaking out of the ground.
...
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
-
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
-
stopper of the cable
Commonly called a deck-stopper. A piece of rope having a large knot at one end, and hooked or lashed...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
moor with a spring on the cable, to
See spring.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
midshipman's watch and chain
A sheep's heart and pluck.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
watch, chain, and seals
A sheep's head And pluck.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
mine a-se on a bandbox
An answer to the offer of any thing inadequate to the purpose for which it is wanted, just as a band...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
A B C
·- The simplest rudiments of any subject; as, the A B C of finance.
II. A B C ·- A primer for teach...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
All-a-mort
·adj ·see <<Alamort>>.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Black-a-vised
·adj Dark-visaged; swart.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Bric-a brac
·noun Miscellaneous curiosities and works of decorative art, considered collectively.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Char-a-bancs
·noun A long, light, open vehicle, with benches or seats running lengthwise.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Chars-a-banc
·pl of Char-a-bancs.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cock-a-hoop
·adj Boastful; defiant; exulting. Also used adverbially.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cornet-a-piston
·noun A brass wind instrument, like the trumpet, furnished with valves moved by small pistons or sli...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Cornets-a-piston
·pl of Cornet-a-piston.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Dos-a-dos
·add. ·noun A sofa, open carriage, or the like, so constructed that the occupants sit back to back.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Flute a bec
·- A beak flute, an older form of the flute, played with a mouthpiece resembling a beak, and held li...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Jack-a-dandy
·noun A little dandy; a little, foppish, impertinent fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Jack-a-lent
·noun A small stuffed puppet to be pelted in Lent; hence, a simple fellow.
...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Penny-a-liner
·noun One who furnishes matter to public journals at so much a line; a poor writer for hire; a hack ...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Pi-a cloth
·add. ·- A fine fabric for scarfs, handkerchiefs, embroidery, ·etc., woven from the fiber obtained f...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Tete-a-tete
·adj Private; confidential; familiar.
II. Tete-a-tete ·noun A short sofa intended to accomodate two...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Vis-a-vis
·adv Face to face.
II. Vis-a-vis ·noun One who, or that which, is face to face with another; ·esp.,...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wait-a-bit
·add. ·noun The prickly ash.
II. Wait-a-bit ·add. ·noun The grapple plant.
III. Wait-a-bit ·add. ·...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Wait-a-while
·add. ·noun = Wait-a-bit.
II. Wait-a-while ·add. ·noun One of the Australian wattle trees (Acacia c...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
-
Adam, a type
The apostle Paul speaks of Adam as "the figure of him who was to come." On this account our Lord is ...
Easton's Bible Dictionary
-
all-a-mort
Struck dumb, confounded. What, sweet one, all-a-mort? SHAKESPEARE.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
black a-se
A copper or kettle. The pot calls the kettle black a-se. Cant.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to run a buck
To poll a bad vote at an election.--IRISH TERM.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
chick-a-biddy
A chicken, so called to and by little children.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
cock-a-whoop
Elevated, in high-spirits, transported with joy.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to couch a hogshead
To lie down to sleep. CANT.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to fight a crib
To make a sham fight. BEAR GARDEN TERM.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
cure a-se
A dyachilon plaister, applied to the parts galled by riding.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
dram-a-tick
A dram served upon credit.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
drop a cog
To let fall, with design, a piece of gold or silver, in order to draw in and cheat the person who se...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
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
-
to fire a slug
To drink a dram.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
foxing a boot
Mending the foot by capping it.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
mumble a sparrow
A cruel sport practised at wakes and fairs, in the following manner: A cock sparrow whose wings are ...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
pit-a-pat
The palpitation of the heart: as, my heart went pit-a-pat. Pintledy-pantledy; the same.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
to ring a peal
To scold; chiefly applied to women. His wife rung him a fine peal!
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
slug-a-bed
A drone, one that cannot rise in the morning.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
squint-a-pipes
A squinting man or woman; said to be born in the middle of the week, and looking both ways for Sunda...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
wear a--e
A one-horse chaise.
...
Dictionary of The Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose
-
bull-a-bull
or Bullybul
n.
a child'scorruption of the Maori word Poroporo (q.v.), aflowering shrub of New Zeal...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
cock-a-bully
n. a popular name for the NewZealand fish Galaxias fasciatus, Gray, a corruption ofits Maori name Ko...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
make a light
expressive pigeon-English. An aboriginal'sphrase for to look for, to find. «You been make a lightyar...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
mark, a good
Australian slang.
1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 233:
«I wondered often what was the meaning of ...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
perish, doing a
modern slang from Western Australia.See quotation.
1894. `The Argus,' March 28, p. 5, col. 4:
«Whe...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
stay-a-while
n.
a tangled bush; sometimescalled Wait-a-while (q.v.).
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
wait-a-while
n.
also called Stay-a-while: a thicket tree.
1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 306:
...
Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris
-
to bear a hand
A seaman's phrase. To be ready ; to go to work; to assist.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to catch a tartar
To attack one of superior strength or abilities. This saying originated from the story of an Irish s...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a caper
(Italian, tagliar le capriole.) The act of dancing in a frolicksome manner.--Todd. We use it also in...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a dash
In modern colloquial speech, to make a great show; to make a figure.--Johnson. A fashionable or gail...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a figure
To make an appearance, either good or bad.
We are not as much surprised at the poor figure cut by t...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to cut a swathe
The same as to cut a dash.
The expression is generally applied to a person walking who is gaily dre...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to deacon a calf
is to knock it in the head as soon as it is born.--Connecticut.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to drive a bargain
To make a bargain. A common colloquial expression, as old as the language.
This bargain is ful dr...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to girdle a tree
In America, to make a circular incision, like a belt, through the bark and alburnum of a tree to kil...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to have a say
To express an opinion. A phrase in vulgar use.
I picked out "Henry Clay" for my baby's name, but t...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to make a raise
A vulgar expression, meaning to raise; procure; obtain.
I made a raise of a horse and saw, after be...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to raise a bead
This expression is used at the West, and means to bring to a head, to make succeed. The figure is ta...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to sky a copper
To toss up a cent.
Didge said he was like skying a copper--head or tail.--Crockett, Tour.
...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
to trig a wheel
To stop a wheel so as to prevent its going backwards or forwards.--Bailey. Still used in New England...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
up-a-day
A fondling expression of a nurse to a child, when she takes it up in her arms, or lifts it over some...
Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.
-
a god-cheeld!
Exclamation. God shield you! God forbid!
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
brain a man
i. e. knock his brains out. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
feel a stink
to perceive it. Derb.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
flick-a-bacon
a flitch of bacon. N.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
jacket-a-wad
an ignis fatuus. Exm.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
scotch a wheel
to stop it from going backward. Lane.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
well-a-day!
alas! Various.
...
A glossary of provincial and local words used in England by Francis Grose
-
beaching a vessel
See under voluntary stranding. Also, the act of running a vessel up on the beach for various purpose...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bear a fist
See bear a bob
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bear a bob
, or bear a fist
Jocular for "lend a hand."
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
bedding a cask
Placing dunnage round it.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
catch a crab
In rowing, when an oar gets so far beneath the surface of the water, that the rower cannot recover i...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chapelling a ship
The act of turning her round in a light breeze, when she is close hauled, without bracing the head-y...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
chock-a-block
, or chock and block
Is the same with block-a-block and two-blocks (which see). When the lower blo...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
cutting a feather
It is common when a ship has too broad a bow to say, "She will not cut a feather," meaning that she ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
dick-a-dilver
A name for the periwinkle on our eastern coasts.
...
The Sailor's Word-Book
-
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
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docking a ship
The act of drawing her into dock, and placing her properly on blocks, in order to give her the requi...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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doubling a cape
In navigation, is to sail round or pass beyond it, so that the point of land separates the ship from...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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driving a charge
Ramming home the loading of a piece of ordnance.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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fall! a fall!
The cry to denote that the harpoon has been effectively delivered into the body of a whale.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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frapping a ship
The act of passing four or five turns of a large cable-laid rope round a ship's hull when it is appr...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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get-a-pull
The order to haul in more of a rope or tackle.
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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give a spell
To intermit or relieve work. (See spell.)
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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pedro-a-pied
[Pedro-pee]. The balance on one leg in walking a plank as a proof of sobriety. A man placed one foot...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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pricking a sail
The running a middle seam between the two seams which unite every cloth of a sail to the next adjoin...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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racking a laniard
The fastening two running parts together with a seizing, so as to prevent it from rendering through ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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racking a tackle or laniard
The fastening two running parts together with a seizing, so as to prevent it from rendering through ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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raising a mouse
The process of making a lump on a stay. (See mouse.)
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The Sailor's Word-Book
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raising a purchase
The act of disposing certain machines, so that, by their mutual effects, they may produce sufficient...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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shifting a tackle
The act of removing the blocks of a tackle to a greater distance from each other, in order to extend...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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show a leg!
An exclamation from the boatswain's mate, or master-at-arms, for people to show that they are awake ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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spanning a harpoon
Fixing the line which connects the harpoon and its staff. The harpoon iron is a socketed tool, taper...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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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
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swifting a ship
Either bringing her aground or upon a careen; also passing cables round her bottom and upper-works, ...
The Sailor's Word-Book
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taking a departure
Determining the place of a ship by means of the bearing and distance of a known object, and assuming...
The Sailor's Word-Book