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The process of sailing against the wind by tacks in zigzag direction.

e world was all before them where to choose. Milton. Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. -- Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.

belly in protuberance or in cavity; the innermost part; as, the belly of a flask, muscle, sail, ship. Out of the belly of hell cried I. Jonah ii. 2.

A band of canvas, to strengthen a sail.

To fasten, as one rope to another, or as a sail to its yard or stay; or as a cable to the ring of an anchor. Totten. To bend the brow, to knit the brow, as in deep thought or in anger; to scowl; to frown. Camden.

To pommel; to beat, as with a stick; figuratively, to assail or criticise in conversation, or in writing. Thackeray.

Bad port wine; any commo wine of the Mediterranean; -- so called by sailors.

To take the wind out of the sails of (another vessel) by sailing to windward of her. Blanket cattle. See Belted cattle, under Belted.

Blessed. "This patriarch blest." Milton. White these blest sounds my ravished ear assail. Trumbull.

no charge, or one that does not explode. -- Blind side, the side which is most easily assailed; a weak or unguarded side; the side on which one is least able or disposed to see danger. Swift. -- Blind snake (Zoöl.), a small, harmless, burrowing snake, of the family Typhlopidæ, with rudimentary eyes. -- Blind spot (…

Cheery; gay; merry. The blithesome sounds of wassail gay. Sir W. Scott. -- Blithe"some*ly, adv. -- Blithe"some*ness, n.

ack, Blue stone, blue vitriol; sulphate of copper. -- Blue jacket, a man-of war's man; a sailor wearing a naval uniform. -- Blue jaundice. See under Jaundice. -- Blue laws, a name first used in the eighteenth century to describe certain supposititious laws of extreme rigor reported to have been enacted in New Haven;…

One dressed in blue, as a soldier, a sailor, a beadle, etc.

of a ship to prevent an enemy from boarding it. -- Boarding pike (Naut.), a pike used by sailors in boarding a vessel, or in repelling an attempt to board it. Totten. -- Boarding school, a school in which pupils receive board and lodging as well as instruction.

A small open vessel, or water craft, usually moved by cars or paddles, but often by a sail.

The act or practice of rowing or sailing, esp. as an amusement; carriage in boats.

An officer who has charge of the boats, sails, rigging, colors, anchors, cables, cordage, etc., of a ship, and who also summons the crew, and performs other duties.

Swollen; puffed out. Thin, and boln out like a sail. B. Jonson.

A rope stitched to the edges of a sail to strengthen the sail.

An additional piece of canvas laced to the foot of a jib or foresail in moderate winds. Hakluyt.