water-laid

American  

[waw-ter-leyd, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌleɪd, ˈwɒt ər- /

adjective

Ropemaking.

1. noting a rope laid left-handed from three or four plain-laid ropes, in the making of which water was used to wet the fibers instead of the more customary oil or tallow.

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Etymology

Origin of water-laid

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

The boundary of the drift is equally independent of the relief of the land, crossing hills and plains impartially, unlike water-laid deposits, whose margins, unless subsequently deformed, are horizontal.

From The Elements of Geology by Norton, William Harmon

It is supposed that this style of rope is stronger in proportion to the number of yarns than cable or water-laid rope, which is more tightly twisted, each strand being a small rope.

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

That which is laid up and twisted with the sun, that is to the right hand; the term is opposed to water-laid rope, which is left-handed.

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

Fossils not wholly obliterated may prove it originally water-laid.

From The Elements of Geology by Norton, William Harmon

Also, a term in rope-making, the twist being the lay; single-laid, is one strand; hawser-laid, three strands twisted into a rope; cablet-laid, three ropes laid together; this is also termed water-laid.

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