- a variation of bouse.
bowse
1 Americanverb (used with object)
noun
verb
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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A "cad" is a person fit for no other occupation than carrying somebody else's hawk; "booze" is a derivation of the falconer's "bowse," to drink.
From Time Magazine Archive
O 'tis bien bowse, 'tis bien bowse, Too little is my skew.
From Our Admirable Betty A Romance by Jeffery Farnol
Drest as though bold Robin Hood Would, with his maid Marian, Sup and bowse from horn and can.
From English Verse Specimens Illustrating its Principles and History by Raymond MacDonald Alden
When the breech of the gun is above the port-sill, hook the garnet and the thwart-ship-tackle to the cascabel, and bowse on both.
From Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. by United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
A gun-tackle purchase applied to the ends of the truss-pendants, to bowse them taut home to the mast.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher
When the decks were cleared, the guns bowsed out, Prince went below with Nat.
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
The English lieutenant, who was tolerably bowsed up, took his seat behind the cabin table, while the men came down, and stood in the companion-way passage, to be overhauled.
From Ned Myers or, a Life Before the Mast by James Fenimore Cooper
“In a moment,” Eric said, “the wheelbarrow got bowsed over, when I managed, worse luck, to fall underneath; and then, finding I couldn’t get up again, I hailed you, brother.”
From Fritz and Eric The Brother Crusoes by John C. (John Conroy) Hutcheson
It soon became evident that the anchor had fairly begun to rise off the ground, for the buoy-rope, which at first had been bowsed taught over the stern of our launch, became quite slack.
From The Lieutenant and Commander Being Autobigraphical Sketches of His Own Career, from Fragments of Voyages and Travels by Basil Hall
The jib was hoisted and bowsed well up, then the backstays, and the topmast-stays were tautened.
From Ernest Bracebridge School Days by William I. Thomas
The bars of the capstan are swifted, by passing a rope-swifter over all their ends, and bowsing it well taut.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher
All hands is bowsing out their jibs on it, sir, and the old Hall will soon be carrying as much sail as she can stagger under.
From The Two Admirals by James Fenimore Cooper
"Oakes is bowsing out his jib with his brother baronet, as we sailors say, and I have hauled out of the line, without a signal."
From The Two Admirals by James Fenimore Cooper
Place a tackle across the deck ready for bowsing the gun into its carriage through the port.
From Ordnance Instructions for the United States Navy. 1866. Fourth edition. by United States. Navy Dept. Bureau of Ordnance
Hauling upon a tack is called "bowsing upon a tack," and when they would have the men pull all together, they cry, "Bowse away."
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
