boatswain's chair

noun

1. a seat composed of a plank suspended in a horizontal position from ropes, used by painters and other persons who work on the exteriors of buildings, ships, etc., while seated at a considerable height.

boatswain's chair

noun

1. nautical a seat consisting of a short flat board slung from ropes, used to support a person working on the side of a vessel or in its rigging

Word History and Origins

Origin of boatswain's chair¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

But most high-rises are cleaned by a person hanging from a rope using a boatswain, or boatswain’s chair, originally developed by the maritime industry to inspect ship hulls and perform other work aloft.

From Seattle Times

But most high-rises are cleaned by a person hanging from a rope using a boatswain, or boatswain’s chair, originally developed by the maritime industry to inspect ship hulls and perform other work aloft.

From Seattle Times

And forthwith two sailors came running, and unhooked a halliard from somewhere, and got out a boatswain's chair, and hooked it on, and she put her legs through, and they hoisted her up to the spreaders.

From Project Gutenberg

And, still holding on carefully, she pulled on the halliard with her free hand, until the boatswain's chair was far enough down again to go down of its own weight.

From Project Gutenberg

Soon Mitscher had to transfer by boatswain's chair to the destroyer English, which flew his three-starred flag with unaccustomed pride.

From Time Magazine Archive