To lower the yards a-portoise
- To lower the yards a-portoise
- Portoise Por"toise, n. [Perhaps fr. OF. porteis portative,
portable.] (Naut.)
The gunwale of a ship.
[1913 Webster]
{To lower the yards a-portoise}, to lower them to the
gunwale.
{To ride a portoise}, to ride an anchor with the lower yards
and topmasts struck or lowered, as in a gale of wind.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
2000.
Look at other dictionaries:
Portoise — Por toise, n. [Perhaps fr. OF. porteis portative, portable.] (Naut.) The gunwale of a ship. [1913 Webster] {To lower the yards a portoise}, to lower them to the gunwale. {To ride a portoise}, to ride an anchor with the lower yards and topmasts… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
To ride a portoise — Portoise Por toise, n. [Perhaps fr. OF. porteis portative, portable.] (Naut.) The gunwale of a ship. [1913 Webster] {To lower the yards a portoise}, to lower them to the gunwale. {To ride a portoise}, to ride an anchor with the lower yards and… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English