BUTTLE. An eastern-county name for the bittern.

BUTTOCK. The breadth of the ship astern from the tuck upwards: it is
terminated by the counter above, by the bilge below, by the stern-post
in the middle, and by the quarter on the side. That part abaft the after
body, which is bounded by the fashion pieces, and by the wing transom,
and the upper or second water-line. A ship is said to have a broad, or
narrow, buttock according to her transom convexity under the stern.

BUTTOCK-LINES. In ship-building, the longitudinal curves at the rounding
part of the after body in a vertical section.

BUTTON. The knob of metal which terminates the breech end of most guns,
and which affords a convenient bearing for the application of
handspikes, breechings, &c.

BUTTONS, TO MAKE. A common time-honoured, but strange expression, for
sudden apprehension or misgiving.

BUTTRESS. In fortification. (_See_ COUNTERFORTS.)

BUTT-SHAFT, OR BUTT-BOLT. An arrow without a barb, used for shooting at
a butt.

BUTT-SLINGING A BOWSPRIT. _See_ SLINGS.

BUXSISH. A gratuity, in oriental trading.

BUZZING. Sometimes used for _booming_ (which see).

BY. On or close to the wind.--_Full and by_, not to lift or shiver the
sails; rap-full.

BY AND LARGE. To the wind and off it; within six points.

BYKAT. A northern term for a male salmon of a certain age, because of
the beak which then grows on its under-jaw.

BYLLIS. An old spelling for _bill_ (which see).

BYRNIE. Early English for body-armour.

BYRTH. The old expression for tonnage. (_See_ BURDEN or BURTHEN.)

BYSSA. An ancient gun for discharging stones at the enemy.

BYSSUS. The silken filaments of any of the bivalved molluscs which
adhere to rocks, as the _Pinna_, _Mytilus_, &c. The silken byssus of the
great pinna, or wing-shell, is woven into dresses. In the _Chama gigas_
it will sustain 1000 lbs. Also, the woolly substance found in damp parts
of a ship.

BY THE BOARD. Over the ship's side. When a mast is carried away near the
deck it is said to go by the board.

BY THE HEAD. When a ship is deeper forward than abaft.

BY THE LEE. The situation of a vessel going free, when she has fallen
off so much as to bring the wind round her stern, and to take her sails
aback on the other side.

BY THE STERN. When the ship draws more water abaft than forward. (_See_
BY THE HEAD.)

BY THE WIND. Is when a ship sails as nearly to the direction of the wind
as possible. (_See_ FULL AND BY.) In