log line
Noun: A log line is a knotted cord attached to a reel, with a piece of wood (a log) at its end. It is a historical nautical tool used to measure a ship's speed through the water.
The term log line is used specifically in the context of traditional maritime navigation to describe the physical tool for measuring speed. * The sailor prepared the log line to determine the vessel's speed. * Before modern instruments, a log line and chip log were essential for navigation.
- Historical Context: The log line was part of a device called a "chip log" or "common log." The wood (the "chip") was thrown overboard, and the line would pay out from the reel. Sailors counted the number of knots that passed in a set time (measured by a sandglass) to calculate speed in "knots."
- Figurative Use: In modern contexts, particularly in film and television, a log line has a completely different meaning: a one or two-sentence summary of a plot. This is a separate, homographic term and not related to the nautical definition.
- Chip Log (n): The complete device consisting of the log, log line, and reel.
- Knot (n): A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, originating from the knots tied in the log line.
- Log (n): The piece of wood attached to the line. Also, the record book where the ship's speed and other data were recorded.
- Speed line (historical/nautical context)
- Log rope
This entry defines the historical nautical tool. It is crucial to distinguish it from the modern creative writing term log line (a plot summary), which is a separate word with a different etymology and usage. The two are homographs (spelled the same) but not semantically related.
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a knotted cord that runs out from a reel to a piece of wood that is attached to it
