half deck

American  

noun

1. (in a sailing ship) the portion of the deck below the upper or spar deck and aft of the mainmast.

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Other Word Forms

• half-decker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of half deck

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

half deck

It's a sight out of a Twain lover's imagined memory: a tiny, homemade Mississippi River raft, buoyant on blue oil-drums, flapping blue canvas greetings from its scanty half deck.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sometimes it is placed between two of the guns, under the half deck; bat generally, I think, he is laid where I have mentioned, just abaft the mainmast.

From The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 17, No. 488, May 7, 1831 by Various

She was a very poor subject to work upon, but he got out the wood for building a half deck over her, which he fitted on as he had opportunity.

From Little By Little or, The Cruise of the Flyaway by Oliver Optic

It had been an old ship’s jolly-boat, and had a roughly-built half deck cabin about the size of a four-wheeled cab. 

From Rambling Recollections of Chelsea by an old inhabitant by J. B. Ellenor

Now they were come to the prow, and there was a half deck under which they were set, out of reach of the wind and water.

From Eric Brighteyes by Henry Rider Haggard