fid

¹ American  

[fid] / fɪd /

noun

Nautical.

1. a stout bar of wood or metal placed across a lower spar so as to support a higher one.

2. a stout bar used to hold a running bowsprit in its extended position.

3. a wooden or metal pin for parting strands of a rope.

4. a bar or pin used as a key or toggle.

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-fid ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “divided,” “lobed,” occurring in adjectives borrowed from Latin (bifid ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (pinnatifid ).

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fid. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. fiduciary.

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fid ¹ British  

/ fɪd /

noun

1. a spike for separating strands of rope in splicing

2. a wooden or metal bar for supporting the heel of a topmast

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-fid ² British  

combining form

1. divided into parts or lobes

   bifid

   pinnatifid

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Etymology

Origin of fid¹

First recorded in 1605–15; origin uncertain

Origin of -fid²

< Latin -fidus divided, equivalent to -fid- (variant stem of findere to split) + -us adj. suffix

Example Sentences

Then as soon as I fid someone, he cancels everything?

From Slate • Nov. 11, 2019

He picked them up, took the fid off the can, and painstakingly pulled the bag out while trying not to make very much noise.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

There is also a patent screw fid, which can be removed after hauling taut the mast rope, without having first to lift 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 Belcher, Edward, Sir

A large tackle, or properly pendant, hooked to the lower end of the top-mast top-rope, and to the deck, in order to increase the mechanical power in lifting the top-mast in order to fid it.

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 Belcher, Edward, Sir

Needham hurried aloft, and while the midshipmen hauled on the heel-rope of the topmast—the shrouds and stays being slacked—he tugged away at the fid.

From The Three Lieutenants by Webb, Archibald