hawse
Pronunciation: (hôz, hôs), [key]
— n., v., hawsed, haws•ing.
—n.
- the part of a bow where the hawseholes are located.
- a hawsehole or hawsepipe.
- the distance or space between the bow of an anchored vessel and the point on the surface of the water above the anchor.
- the relative position or arrangement of the port and starboard anchor cables when both are used to moor a vessel.
- with both bow anchors out: a ship riding to hawse.
—v.i.
- (of a vessel) to pitch heavily at anchor.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.