hawse

American  

[hawz, haws] / hɔz, hɔs /

noun

1. the part of a bow where the hawseholes are located.

2. a hawsehole or hawsepipe.

3. the distance or space between the bow of an anchored vessel and the point on the surface of the water above the anchor.

4. the relative position or arrangement of the port and starboard anchor cables when both are used to moor a vessel.

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verb (used without object)

hawsed, hawsing

1. (of a vessel) to pitch heavily at anchor.

idioms

1. to hawse, with both bow anchors out.

   a ship riding to hawse.

hawse British  

/ hɔːz /

noun

1. the part of the bows of a vessel where the hawseholes are

2. short for hawsehole hawsepipe

3. the distance from the bow of an anchored vessel to the anchor

4. the arrangement of port and starboard anchor ropes when a vessel is riding on both anchors

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verb

1. (intr) (of a vessel) to pitch violently when at anchor

Etymology

Origin of hawse

before 1000; Middle English hals, Old English heals bow of a ship, literally, neck; cognate with Old Norse hals in same senses, Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Old High German hals neck, throat, Latin collus (< *kolsos )

Example Sentences

The stainless-steel hawse pipes feature integrated cup holders that keep a beverage from spilling when the adjacent rod goes off.

From Time Magazine Archive

At sundown, Davy Jones boarded the ship through a hawse pipe.

From Time Magazine Archive

Fairleads set into the varnished teak toerail show a craftsman�s touch, and in the cockpit there are small, pull-up cleats for fenders as well as hawse holes set in the coamings.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was rough and scouring, like rusty anchor chain reeling through a hawse.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

"Here's yore hawse," he said, handing him over the rope's end.

From Bat Wing Bowles by Coolidge, Dane