Definition

Noun: - A marking on a ship's hull: The Plimsoll mark is a set of lines and letters painted on the side of a ship. It indicates the maximum safe waterline, or draft, to which the ship can be legally loaded under various conditions (e.g., in fresh water, salt water, different seasons). Its purpose is to prevent overloading and ensure the vessel's stability and safety.

Usage

• The Plimsoll mark is a critical safety feature inspected by maritime authorities.
• Before loading cargo, the captain must ensure the ship's waterline does not submerge the Plimsoll mark.
• The different lines of the Plimsoll mark account for water density and seasonal weather.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "To be down to the Plimsoll mark": An idiom meaning to be fully loaded or at maximum capacity, often used metaphorically.
  • After the holiday feast, I felt down to the Plimsoll mark.
• The Plimsoll mark is formally known as the International Load Line.

Variants and Related Words

• Load line (n): Another term for the Plimsoll mark.
• Plimsoll line (n): A synonymous term.
• Draft marks (n): Numerical indicators near the waterline showing the ship's draft, related to but distinct from the official Plimsoll mark.

Synonyms

• Load line
• International Load Line
• Waterline mark

Notes

• The term is named after Samuel Plimsoll, a 19th-century British MP and social reformer who campaigned for the merchant shipping load line law.
• It is a specific technical term in maritime and shipping contexts.

Noun

1. waterlines to show the level the water should reach when the ship is properly loaded