Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Nautical, with the ends pointing upward.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adverb Hanging at the cathead, ready to let go, as an anchor.
- adverb Topped up; having one yardarm higher than the other.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adverb nautical Hanging at the
cathead , ready to let go, as ananchor . - adverb nautical Topped up; having one
yardarm higher than the other.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Prefix a- + cock + bill: with bills cocked up.
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Examples
Sorry, no example sentences found.
knitandpurl commented on the word acockbill
"Martin himself supervised them, and also ordered the sails set in counterpoise to each other, so that the ship would be as perfectly still as possible. Then he called out, "Top gallant yards, acock bill," an order that sent men scurrying up the rigging."
A Burial at Sea by Charles Finch, p 95
January 4, 2012