stevedore's knot

American

noun

a knot that forms a lump in a line to prevent it from passing through a hole or grommet.

stevedore's knot British

noun

a knot forming a lump in a line, used by stevedores to secure ropes passing through holes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of stevedore's knot

First recorded in 1860–65

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023