Definition

Noun 1. The lowest internal part of a ship's hull: The area at the very bottom of the hull where water and waste liquids collect. 2. (In a multi-hulled vessel): An enclosed structural area between the frames at each side of the hull.

Usage

The word "bilges" is a plural noun. It refers to the specific spaces or areas within a ship's structure. * The crew pumped the dirty water from the bilges. * Regular inspection of the bilges is essential for maintenance.

Examples

• Water had seeped into the bilges during the storm.
• The smell from the bilges indicated a problem with the sanitation system.
• The engineer checked the bilges in both hulls of the catamaran.

Advanced Usage

• "The bilges" can be used figuratively to refer to something considered the lowest, dirtiest, or most undesirable part.
  • That corrupt department is the bilges of the entire organization.

Variants and Related Words

• Bilge (noun, singular): Can refer to the same area, often used interchangeably with the plural form. It also specifically means the waste water that collects there.
  • There was oil in the bilge water.
• Bilge keel (noun): A long, flat plate or fin attached to the outside of a ship's hull near the bilge to reduce rolling.
• Bilge pump (noun): A pump used to remove water from the bilges.

Synonyms

• Bottom (of a ship)
• Hold (though a hold is typically a cargo storage area above the bilges)

Related Phrases

• To bilge (verb, rare/technical): For a ship's hull to be fractured or damaged, allowing water to enter.
• Bilge rat (idiom, archaic/derogatory): A term for a contemptible person, originating from sailors who cleaned the bilges.

Noun

1. in a vessel with two hulls, an enclosed area between the frames at each side