Page 612 - The Ashley Book of Knots

GLOSSARY

SEND DOWN, To (or SEND ALOFT): Preferred to SINNET LINE: The original name for braided rope,

lower and hoist when speaking of spars, sails used at sea for signal halyards as early as 1860

or other heavy gear. SISTER STRANDS: Where there are two opposed

SEINE NEEDLE: A netting needle. Illustrated in sets of strands, as in SHORT SPLICES and SHROUD

Chapter I. KNOTS, the related members of each set ar"

SEIZING: A lashing of spun yarn, marline or small referred to as sister strands.

stuff either with or without riding turns. SLACK, THE: Loose and superfluous material that

SERVICE: Marline or small stuff, bound around must be worked out to complete a knot.

standing rigging for protection against wear SLACK OF A ROPE: Any loose or inactive part.

and weather. SLACK OFF or AWAY, To: To ease off or to let

SERVING BOARD: A small tool for putting on and out.

tightening service. SLACK-L\ID: See soft-laid.

SERVING MALLET: A larger tool for the same pur- SLATCH: The loose or slack part of a rope.

pose. SLICK: Smooth and slippery as wet rope fiber.

SET Up, To: To tighten rigging at the lanyards SLING or SLINGS: A wreath or rope encompassing

with a tackle. an object and by means of which it is to be

SHAKE OUT, To (A REEF): To remove the gaskets hoisted.

or untie the reef points and to loosen the sail. SLIP KNOT: Any knot which may be spilled by

SHAKINGS: Odds and ends of old rope, saved for pulling on the end, so withdrawing a loop.

making oakum. SLIP A CABLE, To: To buoy an anchor and put to

SHARP Up: Yards braced as far as they will go. sea without hoisting it.

SHEARS: Two spars lashed together at the top and SLIPPERING HITCH: A name used by Moore (1801)

guyed; used for raising masts and hoisting for the SLIPPERY HITCH.

heavy weights. SLUE, To: To turn anything around without

SHEET: A rope that trims the lower corner of a changing its base.

sail. To sheet home or sheet flat is to haul the SMALL STUFF: Rope that is under one inch in cir-

sheet taut. cumference. •

SHELL: The carcass of a block. SMARTLY: Together, with precision and alacrity.

SHIFT, To: To move a short distance or to substi- SNARE: A NOOSE for catching birds and animals.

tute one thing for another, as to shift places. SNARL: A confusion and entanglement of cordage.

SHIV: The grooved wheel of a block. The earliest SNUB, To: To check a line, generally with a round

•
form of the word was shiver. turn, on a post or pm.

SHORT-LAID: Hard-laid rope. SNUG: Compact, neat, tight.

SHOT OF CABLE: Two cables spliced together make So!: Order to cease hauling for the moment.

a "shot." A single cable is usually about 120 Norie gives "Thus!" with the same meaning.

fathoms long, depending upon the length of SOFT KNOT: Bow, HALF Bow or DRAWKNOT, in

the ropewalk. contradistinction to the HARD or SQUARE

SHOULDER KNOT: Tied in braid and worn on the KNOT.

shoulder of a uniform.
SoFT-LAID: Loose-twisted rope.

SHROUD-LAID: Four-strand, right-handed rope
SPAN: A short rope fast at both ends, to be hauled

made around a heart.
on at the center; a bridle.

SHROUD TRUCK: A single fair-leader, lashed to a

SPILL, To: To untie accidentally, to let go com-

shroud.

pletely.
SHROUDS: The lower standing rigging which lead

SPLICE, To: To secure two ropes or two parts of

from the channels to the tops.
the same rope together by interweaving the

SIDE ROPES: A name for manropes, from Biddle-

strands.
combe.

SPOOL: (I) A small stick used as a gauge, around

SICK SEAMS: A sailmaking term. Indicates that the

which meshes are formed in netting. (2) The
stitches are worn and giving way.

apparatus used by children in making Loop
SIMPLE HITCH: Another name for the SINGLE

SINNET.

HITCH.

SPRING LINE: A long central diagonal employed in
SIMPLE KNOT: A name for the OVERHAND KNOT.

tying up to a wharf.

SINKING A STRAND: In splicing a three-strand and

SPUN YARN: Yarn made from old rope.
a four-strand rope together, the extra strand

of the latter is "sunk as it lies." STAFFORD KNOT: The OVERHAND KNOT when pic-

In a WIRE LONG SPLICE the heart is cut out for tured in heraldry.

a length, and the end of a strand is "sunk" to STAND By, To: To take hold of a rope and stand

take its place. ready to haul, slacken or belay.

SINKING A YARN: In tapering a strand individual STANDING: When prefixed to the name of a knot

yarns are cut out and the ends tucked under it indicates that the knot is of a semiperma-

the remaining yarns. nent nature, as STANDING TURK's-HEAD,

SINNET: "Sinnet is braided cordage." (Steel.) Also STANDING BOWLINE, as opposed to "RUN'

spelled synnet, sennit, sinnit, sennet, etc. NING."

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