davit

American  

[dav-it, dey-vit] / ˈdæv ɪt, ˈdeɪ vɪt /

noun

1. any of various cranelike devices used singly or in pairs for supporting, raising, and lowering especially boats, anchors, and cargo over a hatchway or side of a ship.

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davit British  

/ ˈdævɪt, ˈdeɪ- /

noun

1. a cranelike device, usually one of a pair, fitted with a tackle for suspending or lowering equipment, esp a lifeboat

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Etymology

Origin of davit

1325–75; Middle English daviot < Anglo-French, apparently diminutive of Davi David

Example Sentences

A study found that the 22 lifeboats hanging from davits on the deck needed to be removed.

From Los Angeles Times

To complete the ship’s repairs, a study found that the 22 lifeboats hanging from davits on the deck were putting too much strain on the ship’s frame and needed to be removed.

From Los Angeles Times

Kurt Bruer, a quartermaster who worked this year on El Faro, said he remembered drills that dragged on as workers tried to fix davits used to lower lifeboats.

From New York Times

Dressed in their formal Olympic uniforms, they maneuvered the shell from one deck down to the next, trying to stay clear of lifeboat davits and guylines.

From Literature

Americans drove the trucks and used a windlass and a kind of davit to pull the filled barrels aboard.

From Literature