Hawse HAWSE, n. hawz. [See Halser.] The situation of a ship moored
with two anchors from the bows, one on the starboard, the other on the
larboard bow; as, the ship has a clear hawse, or a foul hawse. A foul
hawse is when the cables cross each other or are twisted together.
hawse nounEtymology: alteration of Middle English halse, from Old Norse
hals neck, hawse; akin to Old English heals, neck — more
at collarDate: 14th century 1.a. the part of a ship's bow that contains the hawseholes b.hawsehole2. the distance between a ship's bow and her anchor
hawse n. 1 the part of a ship's bows in which hawse-holes or hawse-pipes are placed. 2 the space between the head of an anchored vessel and the anchors. 3 the arrangement of cables when a
ship is moored with port and starboard forward anchors. Phrases and idioms: hawse-hole a hole in the side of a ship through which a cable or anchor-rope passes. hawse-pipe a metal pipe
lining a hawse-hole. Etymology: ME halse, prob. f. ON háls neck, ship's bow
hawse
hɔ:z n. 1 the part of a ship's bows in which hawse-holes or
hawse-pipes are placed. 2 the space between the head of an anchored vessel
and the anchors. 3 the arrangement of cables when a ship is moored with
port and starboard forward anchors. øhawse-hole a hole in the side of a
ship through which a cable or anchor-rope passes. hawse-pipe a metal pipe
lining a hawse-hole. [ME halse, prob. f. ON hÁls neck, ship's bow]
Hawse \Hawse\ (h[add]z or h[add]s; 277), n. [Orig. a hawse hole,
or hole in the ship; cf. Icel. hals, h[=a]ls, neck, part of
the bows of a ship, AS. heals neck. See Collar, and cf.
Halse to embrace.]
1. A hawse hole. --Harris.
2. (Naut.)
(a) The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored
with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on
the port bow.
(b) The distance ahead to which the cables usually extend;
as, the ship has a clear or open hawse, or a foul
hawse; to anchor in our hawse, or athwart hawse.
(c) That part of a vessel's bow in which are the hawse
holes for the cables.
Athwart hawse. See under Athwart.
Foul hawse, a hawse in which the cables cross each other,
or are twisted together.
Hawse block, a block used to stop up a hawse hole at sea;
-- called also hawse plug.
Hawse hole, a hole in the bow of a ship, through which a
cable passes.
Hawse piece, one of the foremost timbers of a ship, through
which the hawse hole is cut.
Hawse plug. Same as Hawse block (above).
To come in at the hawse holes, to enter the naval service
at the lowest grade. [Cant]
To freshen the hawse, to veer out a little more cable and
bring the chafe and strain on another part.
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