Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Same as
booze . - See
bouse .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A carouse; a drinking bout; a booze.
- intransitive verb To carouse; to bouse; to booze.
- intransitive verb (Naut.) To pull or haul.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb nautical To
haul orhoist (something) with atackle . - verb archaic To
drink excessively andsocially . - noun A carouse; a drinking bout; a booze.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb haul with a tackle
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
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Examples
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He got up on the front efter a while, an 'ga'e the reinds a tit, an' Princie began to do a bit jeeg, garrin 'Sandy bowse aboot on the front o' the cairt like's he was foo.
My Man Sandy J. B. Salmond
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Now bowse a round health to the Go-well and Corn-well [13]
Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] John S. Farmer
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When the breech of the gun is above the port-sill, hook the garnet and the thwart-ship-tackle to the cascabel, and bowse on both.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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The line, one end of which was fastened to the harpoon, was rove through a block attached to the main-topmast stay; and the cook, one of the sailors, and myself firmly grasped the rope, and stood ready, whenever the word might be given, to bowse the unsuspecting and deluded victim out of his native element and introduce him to the ship's company.
Jack in the Forecastle or, Incidents in the Early Life of Hawser Martingale John Sherburne Sleeper
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All the crew, except Nos. 1 and 2, will bowse on train-tackles, until the mortar is in the desired direction, when the order "Well!" will be given by No. 2, who attends spirit-level and trunnion-sight.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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These preparations made, all the numbers man the breech-tackle fall, or divide themselves to bowse upon both falls together, as the position of the gun in the battery may render either mode most convenient.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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Hook a rolling-tackle on the opposite side of the yard, bowse it well taut, and the trusses also, if they be of rope.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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The Loader and Sponger pass the frapping lashing round both parts of the breeching, in front of the brackets, and with the assistance of the men nearest them bowse it well taut; and secure the muzzle by placing the grommet over it and the housing hook-bolt, and by frapping the two parts together with the lashing.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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When the slings bear hard on the upper port-sill, lower the gun-purchase, and bowse on the garnet until the breech is high enough for the trunnions to clear the cap-square bolts in the carriage; then bowse on the thwart-ship-tackle until the trunnions are over the trunnion-holes, lowering the purchase as required to bring the gun into its place.
Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
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"I'se spec 'you'll help, Massa Bosun," hinted the darky cook in an obsequious way; "you clebber man, Massa Moggridge, an 'knows how to bowse tings up."
The White Squall A Story of the Sargasso Sea J. [Illustrator] Schonberg
chained_bear commented on the word bowse
"...his business was with the ship's main armament, the two tiers of massive guns, thirty-two pounders, stretching fore and aft in the gloom, bowsed tight up against the side, uttering squeaks and groans as the roll shifted their concentrated three tons an inch or so in spite of the well-heaved frapping."
--Patrick O'Brian, The Ionian Mission, 56
February 11, 2008
yarb commented on the word bowse
Double gaskets were passed round the yards, rolling tackles and other gear bowsed taut, and everything made as secure as it could be.
- Richard Henry Dana Jr., Two Years Before the Mast, ch. 25
September 9, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word bowse
"Bowse, is chiefly used by the gunners when they haul upon their tackles to thrust a piece gun out of port gun-port, in which case they cry 'Bowse hoa!' i.e. pull more upon the tackle; also when there is occasion to pull more on the tackle than otherwise, they say, 'Bowse upon the tackle!'
"To Bowse, to pull upon any body with a tackle, or a complication of pullies, in order to remove it, or otherwise alter its state or situtation: this is chiefly practised, when such alteration or removal cannot be conveniently effected without the application of mechanical powers. This term is pronounced bowse, as when they would have the men pull altogether (sic), they cry, 'Bowse away!'"
—Falconer's New Universal Dictionary of the Marine (1816), 54
October 14, 2008
yarb commented on the word bowse
"The commodore, who was not at all in the humour of relishing such an impertinent preamble, interrupted him in this place, saying, with a peevish accent, “Pshaw! pshaw! brother, there's no occasion to bowse out so much unnecessary gun; if you can't bring your discourse to bear on the right subject, you had much better clap a stopper on your tongue, and bring yourself up, d'ye see; I was told you had something to deliver.”
— Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, 1751
January 15, 2022