steeve

¹ American  

[steev] / stiv /

verb (used with object)

steeved, steeving

1. to stuff (cotton or other cargo) into a ship's hold.

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noun

1. a long derrick or spar, with a block at one end, used in stowing cargo in a ship's hold.

steeve ² American  

[steev] / stiv /

verb (used without object)

steeved, steeving

1. (of a bowsprit or the like) to incline upward at an angle instead of extending horizontally.

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verb (used with object)

steeved, steeving

1. to set (a spar) at an upward inclination.

steeve ¹ British  

/ stiːv /

noun

1. a spar having a pulley block at one end, used for stowing cargo on a ship

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verb

1. (tr) to stow (cargo) securely in the hold of a ship

steeve ² British  

/ stiːv /

verb

1. to incline (a bowsprit or other spar) upwards or (of a bowsprit) to incline upwards at an angle from the horizontal

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noun

1. such an angle

Etymology

Origin of steeve¹

1475–85; probably < Spanish estibar to cram < Latin stīpāre to stuff, pack tightly; akin to Old English stīf stiff

Origin of steeve²

First recorded in 1635–45; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

steeve steeved steeving

I knows the steeve o’ that bowsprit too well to be mistook as to what that brig is.

From A Middy in Command A Tale of the Slave Squadron by Hodgson, Edward S.

"To rake," which is applied to spars, is from the Saxon racian, to incline;—"to steeve," which is applied to the bowsprit, and often pronounced "stave," is from the Italian stivare.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 02, No. 12, October, 1858 by Various

Thou ance was i' the foremost rank, A filly buirdly, steeve, an' swank; An' set weel down a shapely shank, As e'er tread yird; An' could hae flown out-owre a stank, Like ony bird.

From Poems and Songs of Robert Burns by Burns, Robert

At length— "It seems to me a gey steeve case," he said.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 7 by Various

And with that he waved his hand, cried to his men, and rode off like the steeve and dour persecutor that he was.

From The Men of the Moss-Hags Being a history of adventure taken from the papers of William Gordon of Earlstoun in Galloway by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

If it wisna' for that bowsprit bein' steeved up and th' rivets stertit in th' bows o' her, I widna' be here at a'....

From The Brassbounder A Tale of the Sea by Bone, David W.

"A brown patch in the big main-topsail, and the bowsprit steeved more'n ordinary," said Joe.

From Blackbeard: Buccaneer by Schoonover, Frank Earle

We continued at work in this manner until the lower hold was filled to within four feet of the beams, when all hands were called aboard to commence steeving.

From Two Years Before the Mast by Dana, Richard Henry

For one moment I saw everything reel and aslant—Kato, the Schmerveloffians on the sofa, the cistern-post with its hats and coats and one hook empty, steeving up towards a tilted ceiling....

From The Debit Account by Onions, Oliver [pseud.]

Falconer also states that a sloop differs from a cutter by having a fixed steeving bowsprit and a jib-stay.

From King's Cutters and Smugglers 1700-1855 by Chatterton, E. Keble (Edward Keble)

We continued at work in this manner until the lower hold was filled to within four feet of the beams, when all hands were called aboard to begin steeving.

From Two Years Before the Mast by Dana, Richard Henry

The martinganes flatten in their jibs along their high steeving bowsprits and jib-booms.

From The Children of the King by Crawford, F. Marion (Francis Marion)