cathead

American  

[kat-hed] / ˈkætˌhɛd /

noun

Nautical.

1. a projecting timber or metal beam to which an anchor is hoisted and secured.

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cathead British  

/ ˈkætˌhɛd /

noun

1. a fitting at the bow of a vessel for securing the anchor when raised

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Etymology

Origin of cathead

First recorded in 1620–30; cat ( def. ) + head

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cathead

Her cathead biscuits were at least three inches in diameter and two inches thick.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

Watson carried the deep-sea lead forward, and the other men followed, each with fakes of the line coiled in his hand—Collins on the cathead, Sandy in the fore chains, and Jensen in the main chains.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

He stood on the great anchor cathead, his shirt open to the middle, and his face shining like the sun.

From Rewards and Fairies by Kipling, Rudyard

At this moment it was secured to the cathead, and before the brute could get free it was hoisted on deck.

From Dick Cheveley His Adventures and Misadventures by Groome, William H. C.

It was a difficult task in the night, because the leadline had to be passed from the quarter-deck to the cathead outside the shrouds; the rails and deck were slippery.

From Blow The Man Down A Romance Of The Coast - 1916 by Day, Holman