FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295   296   297   298   299   300  
301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320   321   322   323   324   325   >>   >|  
ern munnions and elsewhere. The term also means the fall or declivity of a deck, which is generally of several inches. DROUD. A fish of the cod kind, frequenting the west coast of Scotland. DROUGES. Quadrilateral pieces of board, sometimes attached to the harpoon line, for the purpose of checking in some degree the speed of the whale. DROW. An old northern term for a severe gust of wind accompanied with rain. DROWNED LAND. Extensive marshes or other water-covered districts which were once dry and sound land. DROWNING. An early naval punishment; Richard I. enacted that whoever killed a man on ship-board, "he should be bound to the corpse, and thrown into the sea." DROWNING-BRIDGE. A sluice-gate for overflowing meadows. DROWNING THE MILLER. Adding too much water to wine or spirits; from the term when too much water has been put into a bowl of flour. DRUB. To beat. (Captain's despatch.) "We have drubbed the enemy." DRUDGE. A name truly applied to a cabin-boy. DRUGGERS. Small vessels which formerly exported fish from Dieppe and other Channel ports, and brought back from the Levant spices and drugs. DRUM. _See_ STORM-DRUM. DRUM-CAPSTAN. A contrivance for weighing heavy anchors, invented by Sir S. Morland, who died in 1695. DRUMHEAD COURT-MARTIAL. Sudden court held in the field for the immediate trial of thefts or misconduct. (_See_ PROVOST-MARSHAL.) DRUMHEAD OF CAPSTAN. A broad cylindrical piece of elm, resembling a millstone, and fixed immediately above the barrel and whelps. On its circumference a number of square holes are cut parallel to the deck, to receive the bars. DRUMLER. An ancient transport. (_See_ DROMON.) Also, a small piratical vessel of war. DRUMMER. The marine who beats the drum, and whose pay is equivalent to that of a private of fourteen years' standing. Also, a singular fish of the corvinas kind, which has the faculty of emitting musical noises, whence it has acquired the name of _crocros_. DRUXY. Timber in a state of decay, the condition of which is manifested by veins or spots in it of a whitish tint. DRY-BULB THERMOMETER. The readings of this instrument, when compared with those of a wet-bulb thermometer, indicate the amount of moisture in the air, and thence the probability of rain. DRY DOCK. An artificial receptacle for examining and repairing vessels. (_See_ GRAVING-DOCK.) DRY DUCKING. Suspending a person by a rope a few yards above the surface of the wa
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   276   277   278   279   280   281   282   283   284   285   286   287   288   289   290   291   292   293   294   295   296   297   298   299   300  
301   302   303   304   305   306   307   308   309   310   311   312   313   314   315   316   317   318   319   320   321   322   323   324   325   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
DROWNING
 

vessels

 

DRUMHEAD

 

CAPSTAN

 
circumference
 

number

 
square
 

DRUMLER

 
transport
 
DROMON

piratical

 

ancient

 

parallel

 

receive

 

thefts

 
Sudden
 
MARTIAL
 

Morland

 

misconduct

 
PROVOST

millstone

 

immediately

 

barrel

 

whelps

 

resembling

 

MARSHAL

 

vessel

 

cylindrical

 
corvinas
 
thermometer

amount

 
moisture
 

THERMOMETER

 

readings

 

compared

 

instrument

 

probability

 
person
 

surface

 
Suspending

DUCKING

 

receptacle

 

artificial

 
examining
 
repairing
 

GRAVING

 

whitish

 

fourteen

 

private

 

standing