The Sailor's Word-Book. W. H. Smyth
BLOW-OFF APPARATUS. See Blow-off-pipe.
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX. The time when the sun crosses the equator, under a southerly motion, and the days and nights are then everywhere equal in length. (See Libra.)
AUTUMNAL POINT. That part of the ecliptic whence the sun descends southward.
AUTUMNAL SIGNS. Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius.
AUXILIARIES. Confederates, an assisting body of allies; or, physically speaking, vessels using steam as an auxiliary to wind.
AUXILIARY SCREW. A vessel in which the screw is used as an auxiliary force. Such a vessel is usually fully masted for sailing purposes.
AVANIA. The fine or imposition imposed on Christians residing under Turkish governors, when they break the laws.
AVANT-FOSSE. In fortification, an advanced ditch without the counterscarp, and stretching along the foot of the glacis.
AVAST. The order to stop, hold, cease, or stay, in any operation: its derivation from the Italian basta is more plausible than have fast.
AVAST HEAVING! The cry to arrest the capstan when nippers are jammed, or any other impediment occurs in heaving in the cable, not unfrequently when a hand, foot, or finger, is jammed;—stop!
AVENTAILE. The movable part of a helmet.
AVENUE. The inlet into a port.
AVERAGE. Whether general or particular, is a term of ambiguous construction, meaning the damage incurred for the safety of the ship and cargo; the contribution made by the owners in general, apportioned to their respective investments, to repair any particular loss or expense sustained; and a small duty paid to the master for his care of the whole. Goods thrown overboard for the purpose of lightening the ship, are so thrown for the good of all, and the loss thus sustained must be made up by a general average or contribution from all the parties interested. (See General Average.)
AVERAGE-ADJUSTER. A qualified person engaged in making statements to show the proper application of loss, damage, or expenses in consequence of the accidents of a sea adventure.
AVERAGE-AGREEMENT. A written document signed by the consignees of a cargo, binding themselves to pay a certain proportion of general average that may from accident arise against them.
AVERAGE-STATER. See Average-adjuster.
AVIST. A west-country term for "a fishing."
AVVISO. An Italian advice-boat. [Aviso, Sp.] Despatch-boat or tender.
AWAFT, or Awheft. The displaying of a stopped flag. (See Wheft.)
AWAIT. Ambush; cutting off vessels by means of boats hidden in coves which they must pass in their course.
AWARD. A judgment, in maritime cases, by arbitration; and the decision or sentence of a court-martial.
A-WASH. Reefs even with the surface. The anchor just rising to the water's edge, in heaving up.
AWAY ALOFT. The order to the men in the rigging to start up.
AWAY OFF. At a distance, but in sight.
AWAY SHE GOES. The order to step out with the tackle fall. The cry when a vessel starts on the ways launching; also when a ship, having stowed her anchor, fills and makes sail.
AWAY THERE. The call for a boat's crew; as, "away there! barge-men."
AWAY WITH IT. The order to walk along briskly with a tackle fall, as catting the anchor, &c.
AWBLAST. The arbalest, or cross-bow.
AWBLASTER. The designation of a cross-bowman.
A-WEATHER. The position of the helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship, in the direction from which the wind blows. The opposite of a-lee.
A-WEIGH. The anchor being a-trip, or after breaking out of the ground.
AWK. See Auk.
AWKWARD SQUAD. A division formed of those men who are backward in gaining dexterity. (See Squad.)
AWL. A tool of a carpenter, sail-maker, and cobbler.
AWME. A tierce of 39 gallons. A Dutch liquid measure.
AWNING. A cover or canvas canopy suspended by a crow-foot and spread over a ship, boat, or other vessel, to protect the decks and crew from the sun and weather. (See Euphroe.) Also that part of the poop-deck which is continued forward beyond the bulk-head of the cabin.
AWNING-ROPES. The ridge and side ropes for securing the awning.
AXE. A large flat edge-tool, for trimming and reducing timber. Also an Anglo-Saxon word for ask, which seamen still adhere to, and it is difficult to say why a word should be thought improper which has descended from our earliest poets; it may have become obsolete, but without absolutely being vulgar or incorrect.
AXIOM. A self-evident truth or proposition, that cannot be made plainer by demonstration.
AXIS. The imaginary line upon which a planet revolves, the extremities of which are termed the poles—therefore a line joining the north and south poles. The real or imaginary line that passes through the centre of any cylindrical or spherical body on which it may revolve. Also a right line proceeding from the vertex of a cone to the middle of its base. Also, an imaginary right line passing through the middle of a ship perpendicularly to its base, and equally distant from its sides;—an imaginary line passing through the centre of a gun's bore, parallel with its position.—Axis of a telescope. (See Collimation, Line of.)
AXLE-TREES. The two cross-pieces of a gun-carriage, fixed across and under the fore and hinder parts of the cheeks. The cylindrical iron which goes through the wheel of the chain-pump, and bears the weight of it.
AYE, AYE, SIR. A prompt reply on receiving an order. Also the answer on comprehending an order. Aye-aye, the answer to a sentinel's hail, from a boat which has a commissioned officer on board below the rank of captain. The name of the ship in reply from the boat indicates the presence of a captain. The word "flag," indicates the presence of an admiral.
AYLET. The sea-swallow.
AYONT. Beyond.
AYR. An open sea-beach, and also a bank of sand. (See Aire.) The mediæval term for oar.
AYT. See Eyght.
AZIMUTH. A word borrowed from the Arabic. The complement of the amplitude, or an arc between the meridian of a place and any given vertical line.
AZIMUTHAL ERROR. See Meridian Error.
AZIMUTH CIRCLES. See Vertical Circles.
AZIMUTH COMPASS. A superior graduated compass for ascertaining the amount of magnetic variation, by amplitude or azimuth, when the sun is from 8° to 15° high, either after its rising or before its setting. (See Magnetic Azimuth.) It is fitted with vertical sight vanes for the purpose of observing objects elevated above the horizon.
AZOGUE. [Sp.] Quicksilver.
AZOGUES. Spanish ships fitted expressly for carrying quicksilver.
AZUMBRE. A Spanish wine-measure, eight of which make an arroba.
AZURE. The deep blue colour of the sky, when perfectly cloudless.
B.