Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An ornament resembling the head and beak of a bird, or, often, a grotesque human head terminating in a beak, used as an enrichment of moldings in Romanesque architecture.
  • noun That part of a ship before the forecastle which is fastened to the stem and supported by the main knee.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Arch.) An ornament used in rich Norman doorways, resembling a head with a beak.
  • noun A small platform at the fore part of the upper deck of a vessel, which contains the water closets of the crew.
  • noun (Antiq.) Same as Beak, 3.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun nautical A protruding part of the foremost section of a sailing ship.
  • noun archaeology An ornament used in rich Norman doorways, resembling a head with a beak.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Her beakhead was a riot of gilded wood supporting a figurehead that showed an ecstatic-faced lady graced with a halo, carrying a sword and dressed in silver-painted armor, though her breastplate was curiously truncated to reveal a pinkly naked bosom.

    Sharpe's Trafalgar Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- 2000

  • So, I'm sure everyone's dying to know the result of my challenge to define some nautical terms. beakhead colloquially known as "the heads".

    Archive 2006-06-01 lili 2006

  • Also, it is bleeding obvious that your mystery words are defined as follows: beakhead - a particulary nosy or overly inquisitive crew member.

    Learning about boats lili 2006

  • This time next week, I will tell all of my faithful readers what the following are: beakhead knightheads scantlings (sounds like a nice title for a novel ...) tumblehome (so does that) bulwark

    Archive 2006-06-01 lili 2006

  • So, I'm sure everyone's dying to know the result of my challenge to define some nautical terms. beakhead colloquially known as "the heads".

    Over boats lili 2006

  • This time next week, I will tell all of my faithful readers what the following are: beakhead knightheads scantlings (sounds like a nice title for a novel ...) tumblehome (so does that) bulwark

    Learning about boats lili 2006

  • Chase gestured at the very first ship and his men, with a practiced ease, scrambled into the netting rigged under the beakhead.

    Sharpe's Prey Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- 2001

  • Another struck the ship's beakhead, whistling a shred of wood high into the air, then a tearing, ripping, rustling sound made Sharpe look up to see that the Pucelle's main topgallant mast, the slenderest and highest portion of the mainmast, was falling to bring down a tangle of rigging and the main topgallant sail with it.

    Sharpe's Trafalgar Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- 2000

  • Ophelia, like many figureheads of her day, had been arrayed upon the beakhead of the ship, rather than positioned below the bowsprit.

    Ship Of Magic Hobb, Robin 1998

  • In any case, Lucy's claims that she'd escaped detection for three years in cramped quarters occupied by 450 men, where the toilets were a couple of open-air perches at the ship's beakhead, and where the regulations of the day required all Marines to strip, bathe, and dress in the presence of a commanding officer responsible for checking frequently on their physical condition, were patently ridiculous.

    Countdown Douglass, Keith 1994

Comments

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  • "... standing in the frigate's beakhead, a roughly triangular place in front of and below the forecastle..."

    --O'Brian, The Wine-Dark Sea, 3

    See also beak-head.

    March 11, 2008