drag chain

noun

Shipbuilding.

1. one of a number of chains attached to a hull about to be launched in restricted waters in order to slow its motion by dragging along the bottom.

Word History and Origins

Origin of drag chain¹

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

When the summer was nearly over and the corn and most of the other things had got ripe and had been gathered, Uncle John got out the old oxen and put the yoke over their necks and the bows up under; and he hooked the drag chain to the yoke and put the plough on the drag and said: "Gee up there, Buck; gee up there, Star."

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And the oxen put their heads down, and Uncle John put the yoke over and the bows under, and he put the plough on the drag and hooked the drag chain to the yoke.

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The driver managed the drag chain by treading upon an iron lever.

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Drove over mountains chiefly covered with oaks and pines; the chief danger in crossing these mountains is the snapping of the drag chain.

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We descended safely, if the drag chain had snapt we should have been thrown down the precipice.

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