Hawse
Hawse (haz o has; 277) , noun
[Orig. a hawse hole, or hole in the bow of the ship; compare Icelandic hals, hāls, neck, part of the bows of a ship, Anglo-Saxon heals neck. See Collar, and compare Halse to embrace.]
1.
A hawse hole. — Harris
2.
(a) (Nautical) The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on the port bow.
(b)
(Nautical) 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)
(Nautical) That part of a vessel's bow in which are the hawse holes for the cables.
Collocations (7)
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 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.