Sailor's Word-book, A - C — Che - Ci
CHAW.
_See_ QUID.
CHEATING THE DEVIL.
Softenings of very profane phrases, the mere euphemisms of hard swearing, as _od rot it_, _od's blood_, _dash it_, _dang you_, _see you blowed first_, _deuce take it_, _by gosh_, _be darned_, and the like profane preludes, such as boatswains and their mates are wont to use.
CHEAT THE GLASS.
_See_ FLOGGING THE GLASS.
CHEBACCO BOAT.
A description of fishing-vessel employed in the Newfoundland fisheries.
It is probably named from Chebucto Bay.
CHECK.
(_See_ BOWLINE.
) To slack off a little upon it, and belay it again.
Usually done when the wind is by, or as long as she can lay her course without the aid of the bowline.
--_To check_ is to slacken or ease off a brace, which is found to be too stiffly extended, or when the wind is drawing aft.
It is also used in a contrary sense when applied to the cable running out, and then implies to stopper the cable.
--_Check her_, stop her way.
CHECKERS.
A game much used by seamen, especially in the tops, where usually a checker-board will be found carved.
CHECKING-LINES.
These are rove through thimbles at the eyes of the top-mast and top-gallant rigging, one end bent to the lift and brace, the other into the top.
They are used to haul them in to the mast-head, instead of sending men aloft.
CHEEK.
Insolent language.
--_Own cheek_, one's self.
--_Cheeky_, flippant.
CHEEK-BLOCKS.
Usually fitted to the fore-topmast head, for the purpose of leading the jib-stay, halliards, &c. CHEEKS.
A general term among mechanics for those pieces of timber in any machine which are double, and perfectly corresponding to each other.
The projections at the throat-end of a gaff which embrace the mast are termed jaws.
Also, the sides of a gun-carriage.
(_See_ BRACKETS.
) Also, the sides of a block.
Also, an old soubriquet for a marine, derived from a rough pun on his uniform in olden days.
CHEEKS, OR CHEEK-KNEES.
Pieces of compass-timber on the ship's bows, for the security of the beak-head, or knee of the head, whence the term _head-knee_.
Two pieces of timber fitted on each side of a mast, from beneath the hounds and its uppermost end.
Also, the circular pieces on the aft-side of the carrick-bitts.
CHEEKS OF AN EMBRASURE.
The interior faces or sides of an embrasure.
CHEEKS OF THE MAST.
The faces or projecting parts on each side of the masts, formed to sustain the trestle-trees upon which the frame of the top, together with the top-mast, immediately rest.
(_See_ HOUNDS and BIBBS.
) CHEER, TO.
To salute a ship _en passant_, by the people all coming on deck and huzzahing three times; it also implies to encourage or animate.
(_See also_ HEARTY and MAN SHIP!
) CHEERING.
The result of an animated excitement in action, which often incites to valour.
Also, practised on ships parting at sea, on joining an admiral, &c. In piratical vessels, to frighten their prey with a semblance of valour.
CHEERLY.
Quickly; with a hearty will.
"Cheerly, boys, cheerly," when the rope comes in slowly, or hoisting a sail with a few hands.
CHEESE.
A circle of wads covered with painted canvas.
CHELYNGE.
An early name of the cod-fish.
CHEQUE, OR CHECK.
An office in dockyards.
Cheque for muster, pay, provision, desertion, discharged, or dead--under DDD.
or DSq^d. CHEQUE, CLERK OF THE.
An officer in the royal dockyards, who goes on board to muster the ship's company, of whom he keeps a register, thereby to check false musters, the penalty of which is cashiering.
CHEQUERED SIDES.
Those painted so as to show all the ports; more particularly applicable to two or more rows.
CHERIMERI.
In the East, a bribe in making a contract or bargain.
CHERRY.
A species of smelt or spurling, taken in the Frith of Tay.
CHESIL.
From the Anglo-Saxon word _ceosl_, still used for a bank or shingle, as that remarkable one connecting the Isle of Portland with the mainland, called the Chesil Beach.
CHESS-TREE.
A piece of oak fastened with iron bolts on each top-side of the ship.
Used for boarding the main-tack to, or hauling home the clues of the main-sail, for which purpose there is a hole in the upper part, through which the tack passes, that extends the clue of the sail to windward.
Where chain has been substituted of late for rope, iron plates with thimble-eyes are used for chess-trees.
CHEST OF CHATHAM.
An ancient institution, restored and established by an order in council of Queen Elizabeth, in 1590, supported by a contribution from each seaman and apprentice, according to the amount of his wages, for the wounded and hurt seamen of the royal navy, under the name of smart-money.
CHEST-ROPE.
The same with the guest or gift rope, and is added to the boat-rope when the boat is towed astern of the ship, to keep her from sheering, _i.
e. _ from swinging to and fro.
(_See_ GUESS-WARP.
) CHEVAUX DE FRISE.
An adopted term for pickets pointed with iron, and standing through beams, to stop an enemy: this defence is also called a turn-pike or pike-turn.
CHEVENDER.
An old name for the chevin or chub.
CHEVILS.
_See_ KEVELS.
CHEVIN.
An old name for the chub.
CHEVRON.
The distinguishing mark on the sleeves of sergeants' and corporals' coats, the insignia of a non-commissioned officer.
Also, a mark recently instituted as a testimony of good conduct in a private.
Further, now worn by seamen getting good-service pay.
CHEWING OF OAKUM OR PITCH.
When a ship suffers leakage from inefficient caulking.
(_See_ SEAM.
) CHEZ-VOUS.
A kind of "All Souls" night in Bengal, when meats and fruits are placed in every corner of a native's house.
Hence _shevoe_, for a ship-gala.
CHICO [Sp.
for small].
--_Boca-chica_, small mouth of a river.
CHIEF.
_See_ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.
A common abbreviation.
CHIEF MATE, OR CHIEF OFFICER.
The next to a commander in a merchantman, and who, in the absence of the latter, acts as his deputy.
CHIGRE, CHAGOE, CHIGGRE, OR JIGGER.
A very minute insect of tropical countries, which pierces the thick skin of the foot, and breeds there, producing great pain.
It is neatly extricated with its sac entire by clever negroes.
CHILLED SHOT.
Shot of very rapidly cooled cast-iron, _i.
e. _ cast in iron moulds, and thus found to acquire a hardness which renders them of nearly equal efficiency with steel shot for penetrating iron plates, yet produced at about one-quarter the price.
They invariably break up on passing through the plates, and their fragments are very destructive on crowded decks; though in the attack of iron war vessels, where the demolishment of guns, carriages, machinery, turrets, &c. , is required, the palm must still be awarded to steel shot and shell.
CHIMBE [Anglo-Saxon].
The prominent part or end of the staves, where they project beyond the head of a cask.
CHIME.
_See_ CHINE.
CHIME IN, TO.
To join a mess meal or treat.
To chime in to a chorus or song.
CHINCKLE.
A small bight in a line.
CHINE.
The backbone of a cliff, from the backbones of animals; a name given in the Isle of Wight, as Black Gang Chine, and along the coasts of Hampshire.
Also, that part of the water-way which is left the thickest, so as to project above the deck-plank; and it is notched or gouged hollow in front, to let the water run free.
CHINE AND CHINE.
Casks stowed end to end.
CHINED.
Timber or plank slightly hollowed out.
CHINGLE.
Gravel.
(_See_ SHINGLE.
) CHINGUERITO.
A hot and dangerous sort of white corn brandy, made in Spanish America.
CHINSE, TO.
To stop small seams, by working in oakum with a knife or chisel--a temporary expedient.
To caulk slightly those openings that will not bear the force required for caulking.
CHINSING-IRON.
A caulker's tool for chinsing seams with.
CHIP, TO.
To trim a gun when first taken from the mould or castings.
CHIPS.
The familiar soubriquet of the carpenter on board ship.
The fragments of timber and the planings of plank are included among chips.
--_Chip of the old block_, a son like his father.
CHIRURGEON.
[Fr.
] The old name for surgeon.
CHISEL.
A well-known edged tool for cutting away wood, iron, &c. CHIT.
A note.
Formerly the note for slops given by the officer of a division to be presented to the purser.
CHIULES.
The Saxon ships so called.
CHIVEY.
A knife.
CHLET.
An old Manx term for a rock in the sea.
CHOCK.
A sort of wedge used to rest or confine any weighty body, and prevent it from fetching way when the ship is in motion.
Also, pieces fitted to supply a deficiency or defect after the manner of filling.
Also, blocks of timber latterly substituted beneath the beams for knees, and wedged by iron keys.
(_See_ BOAT-CHOCKS.
)--_Chock of the bowsprit.
_ _See_ BEND.
--_Chocks of the rudder_, large accurately adapted pieces of timber kept in readiness to choak the rudder, by filling up the excavation on the side of the rudder hole, in case of any accident.
It is also choaked or chocked, when a ship is likely to get strong stern-way, when tiller-ropes break, &c. --_To chock_, is to put a wedge under anything to prevent its rolling.
(_See_ CHUCK.
) CHOCK-A-BLOCK, OR CHOCK AND BLOCK.
Is the same with _block-a-block_ and _two-blocks_ (which see).
When the lower block of a tackle is run close up to the upper one, so that you can hoist no higher, the blocks being together.
CHOCK-AFT, CHOCK-FULL, CHOCK-HOME, CHOCK-UP, &c. Denote as far aft, full, home, up, &c. , as possible, or that which fits closely to one another.
CHOCK-CHANNELS.
Those filled in with wood between the chain-plates, according to a plan introduced by Captain Couch, R. N.
CHOCOLATE-GALE.
A brisk N. W.
wind of the West Indies and Spanish main.
CHOGSET.
_See_ BURGALL.
CHOKE.
The nip of a rocket.
CHOKED.
When a running rope sticks in a block, either by slipping between the cheeks and the shiver, or any other accident, so that it cannot run.
CHOKE-FULL.
Entirely full; top full.
CHOKE THE LUFF.
To place suddenly the fall of a tackle close to the block across the jaw of the next turn of the rope in the block, so as to prevent the leading part from rendering.
Familiarly said of having a meal to assuage hunger; to be silenced.
CHOKEY.
An East Indian guard-house and prison.
CHOMMERY.
_See_ CHASSE MAREES, for which this is the men's term.
CHOP.
A permit or license of departure for merchant ships in the China trade.
A Chinese word signifying quality.
Also, an imperial chop or mandate; a proclamation.
CHOP, OR CHAPP.
The entrance of a channel, as the Chops of the English Channel.
CHOP-ABOUT, TO.
Is applied to the wind when it varies and changes suddenly, and at short intervals of time.
CHOPPING-SEA.
A synonym of _cockling sea_ (which see).
CHOPT.
Done suddenly in exigence; as, _chopt_ to an anchor.
CHORD.
In geometry, is a line which joins the extremities of any arc of a circle.
CHOW-CHOW.
Eatables; a word borrowed from the Chinese.
It is supposed to be derived from _chou-chou_, the tender parts of cabbage-tree, bamboo, &c. , preserved.
CHOWDER.
The principal food in the Newfoundland bankers, or stationary fishing vessels; it consists of a stew of fresh cod-fish, rashers of salt pork or bacon, biscuit, and lots of pepper.
Also, a buccaneer's savoury dish, and a favourite dish in North America.
(_See_ COD-FISHER'S CREW.
) Chowder is a fish-seller in the western counties.
CHOWDER-HEADED.
Stupid, or batter-brained.
CHRISTIAN.
A gold Danish coin, value in England from 16_s.
_ to 16_s.
_ 4_d.
_ CHRISTIAN'S GALES.
The tremendous storms in 1795-6, which desolated the fleet proceeding to attack the French West India Islands, under Admiral Christian.
CHROCKLE.
A tangle or _thoro'put_ (which see).
CHRODANE.
The Manx and Gaelic term for gurnet.
CHRONOMETER.
A valuable time-piece fitted with a compensation-balance, adjusted for the accurate measurement of time in all climates, and used by navigators for the determination of the longitude.
CHRONOMETER RATE.
The number of seconds or parts of seconds which it loses or gains per diem.
(_See_ RATING.
) CHRUIN.
A Gaelic term for masts.
--_Chruin-spreie_, the bowsprit.
CHUB.
The _Leuciscus cephalus_, a fresh-water fish.
CHUCK.
A sea-shell.
Nickname for a boatswain, "Old chucks."
Also, an old word signifying large chips of wood.
CHUCKLE-HEADED.
Clownishly stupid; lubberly.
CHULLERS.
A northern name for the gills of a fish.
CHUNAM.
Lime made of burned shells, and much used in India for the naval store-houses.
That made at Madras is of peculiarly fine quality, and easily takes a polish like white marble.
CHUNK.
A coarse slice of meat or bread; more properly _junk_.
Also, the negro term for lumps of firewood.
CHUNTOCK.
A powerful dignitary among the Chinese.
(_See_ JANTOOK.
) CHURCH.
The part of the ship arranged on Sunday for divine service.
CHURCH-WARDEN.
A name given on the coast of Sussex to the shag or cormorant.
Why, deponent sayeth not.
CHUTE.
A fall of water or rapid; the word is much used in North America, wherever the nomenclature of the country retains traces of the early French settlers.
(_See_ SHOOT.
) CILLS.
Horizontal pieces of timber to ports or scuttles; mostly spelled _sills_ (which see).
Generally pronounced by sailors _sell_, as the port-sell.
CINGLE [from _cir-cingle_, a horse's belt].
A belt worn by seamen.
CINQUE-PORT.
A kind of fishing-net, having five entrances.
CINQUE PORTS, THE.
These are five highly privileged stations, the once great emporiums of British commerce and maritime greatness; they are Dover, Hastings, Sandwich, Romney, and Hythe, which, lying opposite to France, were considered of the utmost importance.
To these were afterwards added Winchelsea, Rye, and Seaford.
These places were honoured with peculiar immunities and privileges, on condition of their providing a certain number of ships at their own charge for forty days.
Being exempted from the jurisdiction of the Admiralty court, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is authorized to make rules for the government of pilots within his jurisdiction, and in many other general acts exceptions are provided to save the franchises of the Cinque Ports unimpeached.
It is a singular fact that it has never been legally determined whether the Downs and adjacent roadsteads are included in the limits of the Cinque Ports.
All derelicts found without the limits by Cinque Port vessels are droits of admiralty.
This organization was nearly broken up in the late state reforms, but the Lord Warden still possesses some power and jurisdiction.
CIPHERING.
A term in carpentry.
(_See_ SYPHERED.
) CIRCLE.
A plane figure bounded by a line called the circumference, everywhere equally distant from a point within it, called the centre.
CIRCLE OF PERPETUAL APPARITION.
A circle of the heavens parallel to the equator, and at a distance from the pole of any place equal to the latitude: within this circle the stars never set.
CIRCLES, GREAT, LESSER, AZIMUTH, VERTICAL (which see).
CIRCLES OF LONGITUDE.
These are great circles passing through the poles of the ecliptic, and so cutting it at right angles.
CIRCULARS.
Certain official letters which are sent to several persons, and convey the same information.
CIRCUMNAVIGATION.
The term for making a voyage round the world.
CIRCUMPOLAR.
A region which includes that portion of the starry sphere which remains constantly above the horizon of any place.
CIRCUMVALLATION, LINES OF.
Intrenchments thrown up by a besieging army, outside itself, and round the besieged place, but fronting towards the country, to prevent interference from outside.
This continuous method has gone out of favour, though some covering works of concentrated strength are still considered essential.
CIRRIPEDIA.
A group of marine animals, allied to the crustacea.
They are free and natatory when young, but in the adult state attached to rocks or some floating substance.
They are protected by a multivalve shell, and have long ciliated curled tentacles, whence their name (_curl-footed_).
The barnacles (_Lepas_) and the acorn-shells (_Balanus_) are familiar examples.
CIRRO-CUMULUS.
This, the _sonder-cloud_, or system of small roundish clouds in the upper regions of the atmosphere, commonly moves in a different current of air from that which is blowing at the earth's surface.
