Search the Dictionary

A covering of feathers. Feathering float (Naut.), the float or paddle of a feathering wheel. -- Feathering screw (Naut.), a screw propeller, of which the blades may be turned so as to move edgewise through the water when the vessel is moving under sail alone. -- Feathering wheel (Naut.), a paddle wheel whose floats t…

ay pour in water as boats pass, and thus bear them over the shoal. Flash wheel (Mech.), a paddle wheel made to revolve in a breast or curved water way, by which water is lifted from the lower to the higher level.

one of the boards fixed radially to the rim of an undershot water wheel or of a steamer's paddle wheel; -- a vane. -- Float case (Naut.), a caisson used for lifting a ship. -- Float copper or gold (Mining), fine particles of metallic copper or of gold suspended in water, and thus liable to be lost. -- Float ore, wat…

steam vessels, the framework of strong timbers, which curves out on each side beyond the paddle wheel, and protects it and the shaft against collision.

logues of each other; one of the bones in the hand of man is the homologue of that in the paddle of a whale.

d usually capable of carrying but one person, who sits amidships and uses a double-bladed paddle. It is peculiar to the Eskimos and other Arctic tribes.

some appurtenance of a vessel which was used in changing her course; -- probably a large paddle put over the lee bow to help bring her head nearer to the wind.

d form a ventral sucker for adhesion to stones and seaweeds. Called also lumpsucker, cock-paddle, sea owl.

in having loosely articulated and dilatable jaws, with large recurved tteth, but they had paddlelike feet. Some of them were over fifty feet long. They are, essentially, fossil sea serpents with paddles. Called also Pythonomarpha, and Mosasauria.

s allied to the lizards, but having the body much elongated, and the limbs in the form of paddles. The first known species, nearly fifty feet in length, was discovered in Cretaceous beds near Maestricht, in the Netherlands. [Written also Mososaurus.]

An animal of the seal tribe, moving by short feet that serve as paddles.

A genus of large extinct marine reptiles, having a very long neck, a small head, and paddles for swimming. It lived in the Mesozoic age.

ay, or the end of Christmas holidays. -- Plow staff. (a) A kind of long-handled spade or paddle for cleaning the plowshare; a paddle staff. (b) A plow handle. -- Snow plow, a structure, usually

forest tree (Metrosideros robusta), also, its hard dark red wood, used by the Maoris for paddles and war clubs.

lding a certain portion of it and making it fast to the yard or spar. Totten. To reef the paddles, to move the floats of a paddle wheel toward its center so that they will not dip so deeply.

lling land. [U.S.] Rolling bridge. See the Note under Drawbridge. -- Rolling circle of a paddle wheel, the circle described by the point whose velocity equals the velocity of the ship. J. Bourne. -- Rolling fire (Mil.), a discharge of firearms by soldiers in line, in quick succession, and in the order in which they s…

Any one of several very large species of chelonians having the feet converted into paddles, as the green turtle, hawkbill, loggerhead, and leatherback. They inhabit all warm seas.

A division of ganoid fishes which includes the paddlefish, in which the mouth is armed with small teeth.

Having a paddle wheel on each side; -- said of steam vessels; as, a side-wheel steamer.

The motion of the center of resistance of the float of a paddle wheel, or the blade of an oar, through the water horozontally, or the difference between a vessel's actual speed and the speed which she would have if the propelling instrument acted upon a solid; also, the velocity, relatively to still water, of the backw…