OUT-HOLLING. Clearing tide-ports, ca.n.a.ls, and channels of mud.
OUTLANDISH. Foreign; but means with Jack a place where he does not feel at home, or a language which he does not understand.
OUTLET. The effluent or stream by which a lake discharges its water.
Also applied to the spot where the efflux commences.
OUT-LICKER. A corruption of _out-rigger_ (which see).
OUT-LIER. A word which has been often used for _out-rigger_, but applies to outlying rocks, visible above water.
OUT-OARS. The order to take to rowing when the sails give but little way on a boat.
OUT OF COMMISSION. A ship where officers and men are paid off, and pennant hauled down.
OUT OF TRIM. A ship not properly balanced for fast sailing, which may be by a defect in the rigging or in the stowage of the hold.
OUT OF WINDING. Said of a plank or piece of timber which has a fair and even surface without any twists: the opposite of _winding_.
OUT OR DOWN. An exclamation of the boatswain, &c., in ordering men out of their hammocks, _i.e._ turn out, or your laniard will be cut.
OUT-PENSIONERS. Those ent.i.tled to pensions from Greenwich Hospital, but not admitted to "the house."
OUT-PORTS. Those commercial harbours which lie on the coasts; all ports in the United Kingdom out of London. (_See_ CLOSE-PORTS.)
OUTREGANS. Ca.n.a.ls or ditches navigable by boats.
OUT-RIGGER. A strong beam, of which there are several, pa.s.sed through the ports of a ship, and firmly lashed at the gunwale, also a.s.sisted by guys from bolts at the water-line, to secure the masts in the act of careening, by counteracting the strain they suffer from the tackles on the opposite side. Also, any boom rigged out from a vessel to hang boats by, clear of the ship, when at anchor. Also, any spar, as the boomkin, for the fore-tack, or the jigger abaft to haul out the mizen-sheet, or extend the leading blocks of the main braces. Also, a small spar used in the tops and cross-trees, to thrust out and spread the breast backstays to windward. Also, a counterpoising log of wood, rigged out from the side of a narrow boat or canoe, to prevent it from being upset.
OUT-SAIL, TO. To sail faster than another ship, or to make a particular voyage with greater despatch.
OUTSIDE MUSTER-PAPER. A paper with the outer part blank, but the inner portion ruled and headed; supplied from the dock yards to form the cover of ships" books.
OUTSIDE PLANKING. Such are the wales, the plank-sheer, the garboard-strakes, and the like.
OUTWARD. A vessel is said to be entered outwards or inwards according as she is entered at the custom-house to depart for, or as having arrived from, foreign parts.
OUTWARD CHARGES. Pilotage and other dues incurred from any port: the reverse of _inward charges_.
OUTWORKS. Works included in the scheme of defence of a place, but outside the main rampart; if "detached," they are moreover outside the glacis.
OUVRE L"IL. A mark on French charts over supposed dangers.
OVER AND UNDER TURNS. Terms applied to the pa.s.sing of an earing, besides its inner and outer turns.
OVER-ANENT. Opposite to.
OVER-BEAR. One ship overbears another if she can carry more sail in a fresh wind.
OVERBOARD. The state of any person or thing in the sea which had been in a ship.--_Thrown overboard_ also means cast adrift by the captain; withdrawal of countenance and support.
OVER-BOYED. Said of a ship when the captain and majority of the quarter-deck officers are very young.
OVERFALL. A rippling or race in the sea, where, by the peculiarities of bottom, the water is propelled with immense force, especially when the wind and tide, or current, set strongly together. (_See_ RIPPS.)
OVER-GUNNED. Where the weight of metal is disproportioned to the ship, and the quarters insufficient for the guns being duly worked.
OVERHAND KNOT. Is made by pa.s.sing the end of a rope over its standing part, and through the bight.
OVERHAUL. Has many applications. A tackle when released is overhauled.
To get a fresh purchase, ropes are overhauled. To reach an object, or take off strain, weather-braces are overhauled. A ship overhauls another in chase when she evidently gains upon her. Also, overhauls a stranger and examines her papers. Also, is overhauled, or examined, to determine the refit demanded.
OVER-INSURANCE. _See_ RE-INSURANCE, and DOUBLE INSURANCE.
OVERLAP. A designation of the hatches of a ship; planks in clinch-built boats. Points of land _overlap_ a harbour"s mouth at a particular bearing.--_To overlap_, to fay upon.
OVERLAY DAYS. Days for which demurrage can be charged.
OVER-LOFT. An old term for the upper deck of a ship.
OVER-LOOKER. Generally an old master appointed by owners of ships to look after everything connected with the fitting out of their vessels when in harbour in England.
OVER-MASTED. The state of a ship whose masts are too high or too heavy for her weight to counter-balance.
OVER-PRESS, TO. To carry too much sail on a ship.
OVER-RAKE. When a ship rides at anchor in a head-sea, the waves of which frequently break in upon her, they are said to over-rake her.
OVER-RIGGED. A ship with more and heavier gear than necessary, so as to be top-hampered.
OVER-RISEN. When a ship is too high out of the water for her length and breadth, so as to make a trouble of lee-lurches and weather-rolls. Such were our 80-gun three-deckers and 44"s on two decks, happily now no more.
OVER-RUNNING. (_See_ UNDER-RUN.) Applied to ice, when the young ice overlaps, and is driven over.
OVER-SEA VESSELS. Ships from foreign parts, as distinguished from coasters.
OVER-SETTING. The state of a ship turning upside down, either by carrying too much sail or by grounding, so that she falls on one side.
(_See_ UPSET.)
OVERSHOOT, TO. To give a ship too much way.
OVERSLAUGH. From the Dutch _overslag_, meaning the bar of a river or port. Also, in military parlance, the being pa.s.sed over in the roster for some recurring duty without being a.s.signed to it in turn.
OVER-SWACK. An old word, signifying the reflux of the waves by the force of the wind.
OVERWHELM. A comprehensive word derived from the Ang.-Saxon _wylm_, a wave. Thus the old song--
"Lash"d to the helm, should seas o"erwhelm."
OWLER. An old term on our southern coast for smuggler. Particularly persons who carried wool by night, in order to ship it contrary to law.