Definition

Noun: - A large, heavy rope, typically made of fiber or steel wire, used on ships and boats for mooring, towing, or anchoring. It is a strong, thick nautical line designed to withstand significant tension and harsh marine conditions.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The crew secured the ship to the dock with a thick hawser.
  • They used a steel hawser to tow the disabled vessel back to port.
  • The hawser snapped under the immense strain of the storm.

Advanced Usage

• "To pay out a hawser": To let out or release a hawser gradually.
  • The sailors paid out the hawser as the ship drifted away from the pier.
• "Hawser-laid": A specific method of rope construction, typically with three strands twisted right-handed.
  • Traditional mooring lines are often hawser-laid for strength and flexibility.

Variants and Related Words

• Hawser-laid (adj): Describing rope constructed with three strands twisted together in a right-handed direction.
• Cable (n): A thicker, often metal, rope or chain used for similar heavy-duty nautical purposes. A cable is generally heavier than a hawser.
• Mooring line (n): A general term for any rope used to secure a vessel. A hawser is a type of mooring line.

Synonyms

• Cable: A very thick, strong rope or metal line.
• Mooring line: A rope used to secure a boat or ship.
• Towline: A rope used for towing.

Related Phrases

• Hawser bend: A specific knot used to join two hawsers or to secure a hawser to a ring or post.
  • They tied a secure hawser bend to connect the two ropes.
• To surge a hawser: To temporarily slacken a taut hawser in a controlled manner to relieve stress.
  • The deckhand surged the hawser to prevent it from breaking.

Related Idioms

Noun

1. large heavy rope for nautical use