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The Sailor's Word-Book Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Sailor's Word-Book novel. A total of 265 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Sailor's Word-Book.by William Henry Smyth.PREFACE.The recent loss of Admiral Wi
The Sailor's Word-Book.by William Henry Smyth.PREFACE.The recent loss of Admiral William Henry Smyth, noticed as it was by the leading periodicals, will have recalled to many, not only the social character and amiable qualities of the compiler of thi
- 165 MIDDY. An abbreviation for the younger mids.h.i.+pmen, synonymous with _mid_.MIDRIB. A narrow ca.n.a.l or culvert.MIDs.h.i.+PMAN. A naval cadet appointed by the admiralty, with the exception of one in each s.h.i.+p appointed by the captain. No person can
- 164 MEND SAILS, TO. To loose and skin them afresh on the yards.MEND THE SERVICE. Put on more service to the cable, or any part of the rigging chafed.MERCANTILE MARINE. _See_ MARINE.MERCANTILE MARINE FUND. A public fund acc.u.mulated by fees payable to the Boa
- 163 MATE OF THE MAIN-DECK. The officer appointed to superintend all the duties to be executed upon the main-deck during the day.MATERIAL MEN. The persons who furnish all tackles and stores, &c., to repair or fit out s.h.i.+ps. The high court of Admiralty allo
- 162 MARQUE. _See_ LETTERS OF MARQUE.MARQUEE. An officer's oblong tent; has two poles, and curtains all round; it is often a.s.signed to various staff purposes.MARROT. A name for the guillemot.MARRY, TO, THE ROPES, BRACES, OR FALLS. To hold both together, and
- 161 MANUAL-EXERCISE. The regulated series of motions for handling and carrying the musket, except what is connected with firing it.MANUBALIST. A stout cross-bow.MANXMAN. A seaman or native of the Isle of Man.MANZERA. A vessel used in the Adriatic for carrying
- 160 MAKE STERN-WAY, TO. To retreat, or move stern foremost.MAKE THE LAND, TO. To see it from a distance after a voyage.MAKE WATER, TO. Usually signifies the act of a s.h.i.+p leaking, unless the epithet _foul_ be added. (_See_ FOUL WATER.) MAKING IRON. One of
- 159 MAIL-Sh.e.l.l. A name for the chiton.MAIN. A continent or mainland. Also, figuratively, the ocean.MAIN-BODY. The body of troops that marches between the advance-guard and the rear-guard of an army.MAIN-BOOM. The spar which stretches the foot of the boom-m
- 158 LUSORIae. Ancient vessels of observation or pleasure.l.u.s.t. An archaism of _list_. (_See_ LIST.) LUTE-STERN. Synonymous with _pink-stern_.LUTINGS. The dough stoppages to the seams of the coppers, &c., when distilling sea water.LYING. The situation of a
- 157 LOXODROMIC. The line of a s.h.i.+p's way when sailing oblique to the meridian.LOXODRONIUS. The _traverse table_.LOZENGE. The diamond-cut figure. (_See_ RHOMBUS.) LUBBER, OR LUBBART. An awkward unseamanlike fellow; from a northern word implying a clownish
- 156 LOOSE FALL. The losing of a whale after an apparently good opportunity for striking it.LOOSE ICE. A number of pieces near each other, but through which the s.h.i.+p can make her way.LOOSERS. Men appointed to loose the sails.LOOSING FOR SEA. Weighing the a
- 155 LONDON WAGGON. The tender which carried the impressed men from off the tower to the receiving-s.h.i.+p at the Nore.LONGae. Roman row-boats built to carry a large number of men.LONG AND SHORT BOARDS. _See_ TACK AND HALF-TACK.LONG b.a.l.l.s. Engaging beyond
- 154 LOBLOLLY. A name formerly applied to pottage, burgoo, or gruel.LOBLOLLY-BOY. A man who attended the surgeon and his a.s.sistants, to summon the sick, and attend on them. A man is now stationed in the bay, under the designation of _sick-berth attendant_.LO
- 153 LINSEY-WOLSEY. A stuff in extensive use commercially; it is a mixture of flax and wool.LINSTOCK. In olden times it was a staff about 3 feet long, having a sharp point at the foot to stick in the deck, and a forked head to hold a lighted match. It gave way
- 152 Large s.h.i.+ps generally have two light-rooms, the after and the fore.LIGHTS. In men-of-war, all the seamen's lights are extinguished by 8 P.M., the officers' at 10, unless the commanding officer gives his permission, through the master-at-arms, for a
- 151 LIE OFF! An order given to a boat to remain off on her oars till permission is given for her to come alongside.LIE OUT! The order to the men aloft to distribute themselves on the yards for loosing, reefing, or furling sails.LIE OVER. A s.h.i.+p heeling to
- 150 LET IN, TO. To fix or fit a diminished part of one plank or piece of timber into a score formed in another to receive it, as the ends of the carlings into the beams.LET OUT, OR SHAKE OUT, A REEF, TO. To increase the dimensions of a sail, by untying the po
- 149 LEECHES. The borders or edges of a sail, which are either sloping or perpendicular; those of the square sails are denominated from the s.h.i.+p's side, as the starboard-leech of the main-sail, &c.; but the sails which are fixed obliquely on the masts hav
- 148 LAY IN SEA-STOCK, TO. To make provision for the voyage.LAY IN THE OARS. Uns.h.i.+p them from the rowlocks, and place them fore and aft in the boat.LAY LORDS. The civil members of the admiralty board.LAY OF A ROPE. The direction in which its strands are tw
- 147 LASCAR. A native sailor in the East Indies; also, in a military sense, natives of India employed in pitching tents, or dragging artillery, as gun-lascars.LASH. A string, or small cord, forming the boatswain's cat.--_To lash_ or _lace_. To bind anything w
- 146 LAMp.r.o.n. The old name for the lamprey.LAMP-Sh.e.l.lS. A name applied to the _Terebratulae_ of zoologists.LANCE-KNIGHT. A foot-soldier of old.LANCEPESADO. From Ital. _lancia spezzata_, or broken lance; originally a soldier who, having broken his lance o
- 145 "Fishes love soote smell; also it is trewe Thei love not old kydles as thei doe the newe."KYLE. A bay, or arm of the sea, on our northern sh.o.r.es, as the Kyles of Bute, &c.KYNTALL. An old form of _quintal_ (which see).L.L. The three L's were formerly
- 144 KNAPSACK. A light water-proof case fitted to the back, in which the foot-soldier carries his necessaries on a march.KNARRS. Knots in spars. (_See_ GNARRE.) KNECK. The twisting of rope or cable as it is veering out.KNEE. Naturally grown timber, or bars of
- 143 KILDERKIN. A vessel containing the eighth part of a hogshead.KILE. _See_ KYLE.KILL. A channel or stream, as Cats-kill, Schuylkill, &c.KILL-DEVIL. New rum, from its pernicious effects.KILLER. A name for the grampus, _Orca gladiator_, given on account of th
- 142 KENNETS. Large cleats. (_See_ KEVELS.) Also, a coa.r.s.e Welsh cloth of commerce; see statute 33 Henry VIII. c. 3.KENNING BY KENNING. A mode of increasing wages formerly, according to whaling law, by seeing how a man performed his duty.KENNING-GLa.s.s. A
- 141 KECKLING, OR CACKLING. Is covering a cable spirally (in opposition to _rounding_, which is close) with three-inch old rope to protect it from chafe in the hawse-hole.KEDELS. _See_ KIDDLES.KEDGE, OR KEDGER. A small anchor used to keep a s.h.i.+p steady and
- 140 JULIO. An Italian coin, worth about sixpence.JUMPERS. The short external duck-frock worn by sail-makers, artificers, riggers, &c., to preserve the clothing beneath.JUMP-JOINTED. When the plates of an iron vessel are flush, as in those that are carvel-buil
- 139 JILL. A fourth part of a pint measure; a seaman's daily allowance of rum, which formerly was half a pint.JIMMAL, OR JIMBLE. _See_ GIMBALS.JINGAL. A kind of long heavy musket supported about the centre of its length on a pivot, carrying a ball of from a q
- 138 JEER-BITTS. Those to which the jeers are fastened and belayed.JEER-BLOCKS. Are twofold or threefold blocks, through which the jeer-falls are rove, and applied to hoist, suspend, or lower the main and fore yards.JEER-CAPSTAN. One placed between the fore an
- 137 JACK IN THE BREAD-ROOM, OR JACK IN THE DUST. The purser's steward's a.s.sistant in the bread and steward's room.JACK-KNIFE. A horn-handled clasp-knife with a laniard, worn by seamen.JACKMAN. A musketeer of former times, wearing a short mail jack or jac
- 136 IRON-BOUND BLOCKS. Those which are fitted with iron strops.IRON-CLAD, CASED, COATED, OR PLATED VESSEL. One covered entirely, or in special parts, with iron plates intended to resist ordinary missiles.Where parts only are so protected, of course it may be
- 135 INLET. A term in some cases synonymous with _cove_ and _creek_ (which see), in contradistinction to outlet, when speaking of the supply and discharge of lakes and broad waters, or an opening in the land, forming a pa.s.sage to any inclosed water.INNER AND
- 134 IMPORT, IMPORTATION, AND IMPORTER, being exactly the reverse of _export_, _exportation_, and _exporter_, refer to those terms, and take the opposite meaning. To import is therefore to bring commodities into a country for the purpose of traffic.IMPOSSIBLE.
- 133 HYDRAULIC PRESS. The simple yet powerful water-press invented by Bramah, without which it would have been a puzzle to float the enormous _Great Eastern_.HYDRAULIC PURCHASE. A machine for drawing up vessels on a slip, in which the pumping of water is used
- 132 HOWKER. _See_ HOOKER.HOWLE. An old English word for the hold of a s.h.i.+p. When the foot-hooks or futtocks of a s.h.i.+p are scarphed into the ground-timbers and bolted, and the plank laid up to the orlop-deck, then they say, "the s.h.i.+p begins to how
- 131 HORSE-POTATOES. The old word for yams.HORSE-POWER. A comparative estimate of the capacity of steam-engines, by a.s.suming a certain average effective pressure of steam, and a certain average linear velocity of the piston. The pressure multiplied by the ve
- 130 HOOK OF THE DECKS. _See_ BREAST-HOOKS.HOOK-POTS. Tin cans fitted to hang on the bars of the galley range.HOOK-ROPES. A rope 6 or 8 fathoms long, with a hook and thimble spliced at one end, and whipped at the other: it is used in coiling hempen cables in t
- 129 HOLD OFF. The keeping the hove-in part of a cable or hawser clear of the capstan.HOLD ON. Keep all you have got in pulling a rope.--_Hold on a minute._ Wait or stop.--_Hold on with your nails and eyelids._ A derisive injunction to a timid climber.HOLD ON,
- 128 HIPPER, OR HIPPING-STONES. Large stones placed for crossing a brook.HIPPOCAMPUS. A small fish, so termed from the head resembling that of a horse. They live among reeds and long fuci, to which they cling with prehensile tails.HIPPODAMES. An old word for s
- 127 HEN'S-WARE. A name of the edible sea-weed _Fucus esculentus_.HEP-PAH, OR HIPPA. A New Zealand fort, or s.p.a.ce surrounded with stout palisades; these rude defences have given our soldiers and sailors much trouble to reduce. (_See_ PAH.) HEPTAGON. A righ
- 126 HEAVING TAUT. The act of turning the capstan, &c., till the rope applied thereto becomes straight and ready for action.HEAVING THROUGH ALL. The surging or slipping of the cable when the nippers do not hold.HEAVY DRIFT-ICE. Dense ice, which has a great dep
- 125 HEAD-NETTING. An ornamental netting used in merchant s.h.i.+ps instead of the fayed planking to the _head-rails_.HEAD OF A COMET. The brighter part of a comet, from which the tail proceeds.HEAD OF A MAST, OR MAST-HEAD. The upper part of any mast, or that
- 124 HAULYARDS. _See_ HALLIARDS.HAUNCES. The breakings of the rudder abaft.HAUNCH. A sudden fall or break, as from the drifts forward and aft to the waist. The same as _hance_.HAVEN [Anglo-Saxon, _haefen_]. A safe refuge from the violence of wind and sea; much
- 123 HARPOON, OR HARPAGO. A spear or javelin with a barbed point, used to strike whales and other fish. The harpoon is furnished with a long shank, and has at one end a broad and flat triangular head, sharpened at both edges so as to penetrate the whale with f
- 122 HANGING-BLOCKS. These are sometimes fitted with a long and short leg, and lash over the eyes of the top-mast rigging; when under, they are made fast to a strap. The topsail-tye reeves through these blocks, the tye-block on the yard, and the standing part
- 121 HALSTER. A west-country term for a man who draws a barge along by a rope.HALT! The military word of command to stop marching, or any other evolution. A halt includes the period of such discontinuance.HALVE-NET. A standing net used in the north to prevent
- 120 HAG'S TEETH. (_See_ HAKE'S TEETH.) Those parts of a matting or pointing interwoven with the rest in an irregular manner, so as to spoil the uniformity. (_See_ POINTING.) In soundings, _see_ HAKE'S TEETH.HAIK. _See_ HIKE UP.HAIL, TO. To hail "from a co
- 119 GUN-TACKLE PURCHASE. A tackle composed of a rope rove through two single blocks, the standing part being made fast to the strop of one of the blocks. It multiplies the power applied threefold.GUNTEN. A boat of burden in the Moluccas.GUNTER'S LINE. Called
- 118 GULLET. A small stream in a water-worn course.GULL-SHARPER. One who preys upon Johnny Raws.GULLY. The channels worn on the face of mountains by heavy rains. Also, a rivulet which empties itself into the sea.GULLY SQUALL. Well known off tropical America in
- 117 GUANO. The excrement of sea-birds, a valuable manure found in thick beds on certain islets on the coast of Peru, indeed, in all tropical climates. The transport of it occupies a number of vessels, called _guaneros_. It is of a dingy yellow colour, and off
- 116 GROATS. An allowance for each man per mensem, a.s.signed formerly to the chaplain for pay.GROBMAN. A west-country term for a sea-bream about two-thirds grown.GRODAN. A peculiar boat of the Orcades; also the Erse for a gurnard.GROG. A drink issued in the n
- 115 GRAZE. The point at which a shot strikes and rebounds from earth or water.GRAZING-FIRE. That which sweeps close to the surface it defends.GREASY. Synonymous with dirty weather.GREAT CIRCLE. One whose a.s.sumed plane pa.s.ses through the centre of the sphe
- 114 GOW. An old northern term for the gull.GOWDIE. The _Callionymus lyra_, dragonet, or chanticleer.GOWK. The cuckoo; but also used for a stupid, good-natured fellow.GOWK-STORM. Late vernal equinoctial gales contemporary with the gowk or cuckoo.GOWT, OR GOTE.
- 113 GOGAR. A serrated worm used in the north for fis.h.i.+ng-bait.GOGLET. An earthen vase or bottle for holding water.GOILLEAR. The Gaelic for a sea-bird of the Hebrides, said to come ash.o.r.e only in January.GOING ABOUT. Tacking s.h.i.+p.GOING FREE. When th
- 112 GLACIS. In fortification, that smooth earthen slope outside the ditch which descends to the country, affording a secure parapet to the covered way, and exposing always a convenient surface to the fire of the place.GLADENE. A very early designation of the
- 111 GIB. A forelock.GIBB. The beak, or hooked upper lip of a male salmon.GIBBOUS. The form of a planet's disc exceeding a semicircle, but less than a circle.GIB-FISH. A northern name for the male of the salmon.GIBRALTAR GYN. Originally devised there for work
- 110 GAUT, OR GHAUT. In the East Indies, a landing-place; and also a chain of hills, as the Western Gauts, on the Mysore coast.GAVELOCK. An iron crow. Of old, a pike; thus in Arthur and Merlin-- "Gavelokes also thicke flowe So gnattes, ichil avowe."GAVER. A
- 109 GANNY-WEDGE. A thick wooden wedge, used in splitting timber.GANTAN. An Indian commercial measure, of which 17 make a baruth.GANT-LINE. Synonymous with _girt-line_ (which see).GANT-LOPE, OR GAUNTLOPE (commonly p.r.o.nounced _gantlet_). A _race_ which a cri
- 108 GALLANTS. All flags borne on the mizen-mast were so designated.GALLAN WHALE. The largest whale which visits the Hebrides.GALLED. The result of friction, to prevent which it is usual to cover, with skins, mats, or canvas, the places most exposed to it. (_S
- 107 FUTTOCK-RIDERS. When a rider is lengthened by means of pieces batted or scarphed to it and each other, the first piece is termed the first futtock-rider, the next the second futtock-rider, and so on.FUTTOCKS, OR FOOT-HOOKS. The separate pieces of timber w
- 106 FULL DUE. For good; for ever; complete; belay.FULLER. The fluting groove of a bayonet.FULL FEATHER. Attired in best dress or full uniform.FULL FOR STAYS! The order to keep the sails full to preserve the velocity, a.s.sisting the action of the rudder in ta
- 105 FRET, TO. To chafe.FRET OF WIND. A squally flaw.FRETTUM, OR Fr.e.c.t.u.m. The freight of a s.h.i.+p, or freight-money.FRETUM BRITANNIc.u.m. A term used in our ancient writings for the Straits of Dover.FRIAR-SKATE. The _Raia oxyrinchus_, or sharp-nosed ray
- 104 FRANCESCONI. The dollars of Tuscany, in value 4_s._ 5-1/4_d._ sterling.They each consist of 10 paoli.FRANK. The large fish-eating heron of our lakes and pools.FRAP. A boat for s.h.i.+pping salt, used at Mayo, one of the Cape de Verde Islands.FRAP, TO. To
- 103 FORMS. The moulds for making wads by. (_See_ FORMER.) FORT. In fortification, an inclosed work of which every part is flanked by some other part; though the term is loosely applied to all places of strength surrounded by a rampart.FORTALEZZA [Sp.] A fort
- 102 FOREIGN SERVICE. Vessels or forces stationed in any part of the world out of the United Kingdom. The opposite of _home service_.FORELAND. A cape or promontory projecting into the sea: as the North and South Forelands. It is nearly the same with _headland_
- 101 FOOT-s.p.a.cE-RAIL. The rail that terminates the foot of the balcony, in which the bal.u.s.ters step, if there be no pedestal rail.FOOT-VALVE. A flat plate of metal filling up the pa.s.sage between the air-pump and condenser. The lower valve of a steam-en
- 100 FLYING ABOUT. Synonymous with _chop-about_ (which see).FLYING COLUMN. A complete and mobile force kept much on the move, for the sake of covering the designs of its own army, distracting those of the enemy, or maintaining supremacy in a hostile or disaffe
- 99 FLOOR-PLANS. In naval architecture, are longitudinal sections, whereon are represented the water-lines and ribband-lines.FLOOR-RIBBAND. This is an important fir-timber which runs round a little below the floor-heads, for the support of the floors.FLOOR-RI
- 98 FLETCH, TO. To feather an arrow.FLEUZ. A north-country term for the f.a.gged end of a rope.FLEXURE. The bending or curving of a line or figure.FLIBOAT. _See_ FLY-BOAT.FLIBUSTIER [Fr.] A freebooter, pirate, &c. FLICKER, TO. To veer about.FLIDDER. A norther
- 97 FLAs.h.i.+NG-SIGNALS. By Captain Colomb's plan, the lime light being used on sh.o.r.e, and a plain white light at sea, is capable of transmitting messages by the relative positions of long and short dashes of light by night, and of collapsing cones by da
- 96 FIs.h.i.+NG-TAUM. A northern designation of an angling line, or angling gear.FIs.h.i.+NG-VESSELS. A general term for those employed in the fisheries, from the catching of sprats to the taking of whales.FISH-LEEP. An old term for a fish-basket.FISH-ROOM. A
- 95 FIRE-BARS. The range fronting a steam-boiler.FIRE-BILL. The distribution of the officers and crew in case of the alarm of fire, a calamity requiring judicious conduct.FIRE-BOOMS. Long spars swung out from a s.h.i.+p's side to prevent the approach of fire
- 94 FIGURE OF THE EARTH. The form of our globe, which is that of an oblate spheroid with an ellipticity of about 1/299.FIKE. _See_ FYKE.FILADIERE. A small flat-bottomed boat of the Garonne.FILE. Originally a string of soldiers one behind the other, though in
- 93 FERRY-BOATS. Vessels or wherries duly licensed for conveying pa.s.sengers across a river or creek.FETCH, TO. To reach, or arrive at; as, "we shall fetch to windward of the lighthouse this tack."FETCH HEAD-WAY OR STERN-WAY. Said of a vessel gathering mot
- 92 FAUN. Anglo-Norman for a flood-gate or water-gate.FAUSSEBRAYE. In fortification, a kind of counterguard or low rampart, intended to protect the lower part of the main escarp behind it from being breached, but considered in modern times to do more harm tha
- 91 FALMADAIR. An old word signifying rudder, or a pilot.FALSE ALARM. _See_ ALARM.FALSE ATTACK. A feigned a.s.sault, made to induce a diversion or distraction of the enemy's forces, in order that the true object elsewhere may be carried.FALSE COLOURS. To sai
- 90 FACK. _See_ FAKE.FACTOR. A commercial superintendent, or agent residing beyond sea, commissioned by merchants to buy or sell goods on their account by a letter of attorney.FACTORAGE. A certain percentage paid to the factor by the merchant on all he buys o
- 89 EXCENTRICITY. In astronomical parlance, implies the deviation of an elliptic orbit from a circle.EXCENTRIC ROD, by its action on the gab-lever, which it catches either way, puts the engine into gear.EXCHANGE. A term in the mercantile world, to denote the
- 88 EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE. A figure of three equal straight sides, and therefore of three equal angles.EQUINOCTIAL. Synonymous with _equator_ (which see).EQUINOCTIAL GALES. Storms which are observed to prevail about the time of the sun's crossing the equator,
- 87 END OF A TRENCH. The place where the trenches are opened.END-ON. Said particularly of a s.h.i.+p when only her bows and head-sails are to be seen, but generally used in opposition to _broadside-on_.ENEMY. The power or people against whom war is waged.ENFI
- 86 ELBOW. That part of a river where it suddenly changes its direction, forming a reach to the next angle or turn. Also, a promontory. Also, a communication in a steam-pipe.ELBOW-GREASE. Hard labour with the arms.ELBOW IN THE HAWSE. Two crosses in a hawse. W
- 85 "When the wind is in the east, 'Tis good for neither man nor beast."EASY. Lower gently. A s.h.i.+p not labouring in a sea.--_Taking it easy._ Neglecting the duty. "Not so violent."EASY DRAUGHT. The same as _light draught of water_ (which see).EASY RO
- 84 DUTCH PUMP. A punishment so contrived that, if the prisoner would not pump hard, he was drowned.DUTCH RECKONING. A bad day's work, all in the wrong.DUTCH REDS. High-smoked herrings prepared in Holland.DUTIES. Taxes levied by the custom-house upon goods e
- 83 DUDGEON. An old word for the box-handle of a dirk; it is mentioned by Shakspeare with the blade of the ideal dagger which Macbeth saw before him. It also means offence, anger.DUDS. A cant term for clothes or personal property. The term is old, but still i
- 82 DROG. A Gaelic term, still in use, to express the agitation of the sea.DROGHER. A small craft which goes round the bays of the West India Islands, to take off sugars, rum, &c., to the merchantmen.--_Lumber-drogher_ is a vessel built solely for burden, and
- 81 DRAGS. Whatever hangs over the s.h.i.+p into the sea, as s.h.i.+rts, coats, or the like; and boats when towed, or whatever else that after this manner may hinder the s.h.i.+p's way when she sails, are called _drags_.DRAG-SAIL. Any sail with its clues sto
- 80 DOUBLING A CAPE. In navigation, is to sail round or pa.s.s beyond it, so that the point of land separates the s.h.i.+p from her former situation.DOUBLING-NAILS. The nails commonly used in doubling.DOUBLING UPON. In a naval engagement, the act of inclosing
- 79 They greatly resemble porpoises, and are often called by this name by sailors; but they are distinguished by having a longer and more slender snout. The word is also generally, but less correctly, applied to a fish, the dorado (_Coryphaena hippuris_), cel
- 78 DOB. The animal inhabiting the razor-sh.e.l.l (_solen_), used as a bait by fishermen.DOBBER. The float of a fis.h.i.+ng-line.DOBBIN. A phrase on our southern coasts for sea-gravel mixed with sand.DOCK. An artificial receptacle for s.h.i.+pping, in which t
- 77 DISGUISE. s.h.i.+ps in all times have been permitted to a.s.sume disguise to impose upon enemies, and obtain from countries in their possession commodities of which they stand in need.DISH, TO. To supplant, ruin, or frustrate.DISLODGE. To drive an enemy f
- 76 DILLOSK. The dried leaves of an edible sea-weed. (_See_ DULCE and PEPPER-DULSE.) DILLY-WRECK. A common corruption of _derelict_ (which see).DIME. An American silver coin, in value the tenth of a dollar.DIMINISHED ANGLE. In fortification, that formed by th
- 75 DETACHED WORKS. Works included in the scheme of defence of a fortress, but separated from it, and beyond the glacis.DETACHMENT. A force detached from the main body for employment on any particular service.DETAIL OF DUTY. The captain's night orders.DETENT
- 74 DELL. A narrow valley, ravine, or small dale.DELTA. A name given by the Greeks to the alluvial tract inclosed between the bifurcating branches of the Nile and the sea-line. It is well known that rivers which deposit great quant.i.ties of matter, do also v
- 73 DECK, TO. A word formerly in use for to trim, as "we deckt up our sails."DECK-BEAM KNEES. The same as _lodging-knees_.DECK-BEAMS. _See_ BEAMS.DECK-CARGO, otherwise _deck-load_ (which see).DECK-CLEATS. Pieces of wood temporarily nailed to the deck to sec
- 72 DAWK-BOAT. A boat for the conveyance of letters in India; _dawk_ being the Hindostanee for _mail_.DAY. The astronomical day is reckoned from noon to noon, continuously through the twenty-four hours, like the other days. It commences at noon, twelve hours
- 71 DAGGER-KNEE. A subst.i.tute for the hanging-knee, applied to the under side of the lodging-knee; it is placed out of the perpendicular to avoid a port-hole. Anything placed aslant or obliquely, now generally termed diagonal, of which, indeed, it is a corr
- 70 CUTE. Sharp, crafty, apparently from _acute_; but some insist that it is the Anglo-Saxon word _cuth_, rather meaning certain, known, or familiar.CUTH. A name given in Orkney and Shetland to the coal-fish, before it is fully grown; perhaps the same as _pil
- 69 CULMINATION, in nautical astronomy, is the transit or pa.s.sage of any celestial body over the meridian of a place.CULRING. An old corruption of _culverin_.CULTELLUS. _See_ COUTEL.CULVER. A Saxon word for pigeon, whence Culver-cliff, Reculvers, &c., from
- 68 CROSS-SWELL. This is similar to a cross-sea, except that it undulates without breaking violently.CROSS-TAIL. In a steam-engine, is of the same form as the cylinder cross-head: it has iron straps catching the pins in the ends of the side-levers.CROSS-TIDE.
- 67 CREEPER. A small grapnel (iron instrument with four claws) for dragging for articles dropped overboard in harbour. When anything falls, a dish or other white object thrown immediately after it will greatly guide the creeping.CREES. _See_ KRIS.CREMAILLEE.
- 66 CRACK. "In a crack," immediately.CRACKER. So named from the noise it makes in exploding; it is applied to a small pistol. Also, to a little hard cabin biscuit, so called from its noise in breaking.CRACKNEL. A small bark. Also, biscuits (see 1 Ki. xiv. 3