| abaft | toward or at the stern of a ship; further aft |
| affreightment | hiring of a vessel |
| afterdeck | deck behind a ship’s bridge |
| afterguard | men who work the aft sails on the quarterdeck and poop deck |
| ahull | with sails furled and helm lashed to the lee-side |
| amidships | midway between the bow and stern of a ship |
| astern | at the stern of a ship |
| backstay | stay extending from ship’s mastheads to the side of the ship |
| ballaster | one who supplies ships with ballast |
| bargemaster | owner of a barge |
| bee | hardwood on either side of bowsprit through which forestays are reeved |
| belay | to secure a rope by winding on a pin or cleat |
| bilge | lower point of inner hull of a ship |
| binnacle | case in which a ship’s compass is kept |
| bitts | posts mounted on a ship for fastening ropes |
| bluepeter | blue flag with white square in centre used as ship’s signal |
| boatswain | ship’s crewmember in charge of equipment and maintenance |
| bobstay | rope used on ships to steady the bowsprit |
| bollard | short post on a wharf or ship to which ropes are tied |
| boltrope | strong rope stitched to edges of a sail |
| bosun | boatswain |
| bottomry | using the ship as collateral to finance a sea voyage |
| bow | front of a ship |
| bower | anchor carried at bow of a ship |
| bowline | rope used to keep weather edge of a sail taut |
| bowsprit | spar that extends at bows of a ship |
| brails | ropes on edge of sail for hauling up |
| bream | to clean a ship’s bottom by burning off seaweed |
| bulwark | the side of a ship above the deck |
| bumpkin | spar projecting from stern of ship |
| bunt | middle of sail, fish-net or cloth when slack |
| buntline | rope attached to middle of square sail to haul it up to the yard |
| burgee | small ship’s flag used for identification or signalling |
| cable | heavy rope or chain for mooring a ship |
| cabotage | shipping and sailing between points in the same country |
| camber | slight arch or convexity to a beam or deck of a ship |
| capstan | upright device for winding in heavy ropes or cables |
| careen | to turn a ship on its side in order to clean or repair it |
| cathead | projection near the bow of a ship to which anchor is secured |
| chine | the intersection of the middle and sides of a boat |
| chock | metal casting with curved arms for passing ropes for mooring ship |
| clew | corner of sail with hole to attach ropes |
| coaming | raised edge around ship’s hatches to keep water out |
| cocket | official shipping seal; customs clearance form |
| cofferdam | narrow vacant space between two bulkheads of a ship |
| cog | single-masted, square-sailed ship with raised stern |
| companionway | stairs from upper deck of ship to lower deck |
| cordage | ropes in the rigging of a ship |
| cringle | loop at corner of sail to which a line is attached |
| crosstrees | horizontal crosspieces at a masthead used to support ship’s mast |
| davit | device for hoisting and lowering a boat |
| deadeye | rounded wooden block with hole used to set up ship’s stays |
| deadwood | timbers built into ends of ship when too narrow to permit framing |
| demurrage | delay of vessel’s departure or loading with cargo |
| dodger | shield against rain or spray on a ship’s bridge |
| dogwatch | a short, evening period of watch duty on a ship |
| downhaul | rope for holding down or hauling down a sail or spar |
| dromond | large single-sailed ship powered by rowers |
| dyogram | ship’s chart indicating compass deflection due to ship’s iron |
| earing | line for fastening corner of a sail to the gaff or yard |
| ensign | large naval flag |
| escutcheon | part of ship’s stern where name is displayed |
| fairlead | ring through which rope is led to change its direction without friction |
| fardage | wood placed in bottom of ship to keep cargo dry |
| fiddley | iron framework around hatchway opening |
| figurehead | ornament or (usually female) bust attached to the bow of a ship |
| flagstaff | flag pole at stern of a ship |
| fluke | part of an anchor that fastens in the ground |
| forebitt | post for fastening cables at a ship’s foremast |
| forecabin | cabin in fore part of ship |
| forecastle | short raised deck at fore end of ship; fore of ship under main deck |
| forefoot | foremost end of ship’s keel |
| foremast | mast nearest the bow of a ship |
| foresail | lowest sail set on the foremast of square-rigged ship |
| forestay | stay leading from the foremast to the bow of a ship |
| frap | to draw a sail tight with ropes or cables |
| freeboard | distance between waterline and main deck of a ship |
| futtock | rib of a ship |
| gaff | spar on which head of fore-and-aft sail is extended |
| gaff-topsail | triangular topsail with its foot extended upon the gaff |
| gangway | either of the sides of the upper deck of a ship |
| garboard | plank on a ship’s bottom next to the keel |
| genoa | large jib that overlaps the mainsail |
| grapnel | small anchor used for dragging or grappling |
| groundage | a charge on a ship in port |
| gudgeon | metal socket into which the pintle of a boat’s rudder fits |
| gunnage | number of guns carried on a warship |
| gunwale | upper edge of the side of a ship |
| gybe | to swing a sail from one side to another |
| halyard | rope or tackle for hoisting and lowering sails |
| hank | series of rings or clips for attaching a jib or staysail to a stay |
| hawse | distance between ship’s bow and its anchor |
| hawsehole | hole for ship’s cable |
| hawser | large rope for mooring or towing a ship |
| headsail | sail set forward of the foremast of a ship |
| helm | ship’s steering wheel |
| holystone | sandstone material used to scrape ships’ decks |
| inboard | inside the line of a ship’s bulwarks or hull |
| jack | ship’s flag flown from jack-staff at bow of vessel |
| jack-block | pulley system for raising topgallant masts |
| jack-cross-tree | single iron cross-tree at head of a topgallant mast |
| jackstaff | short staff at ship’s bow from which the jack is hoisted |
| jackstay | iron or wooden bar running along yard of ship to which sails fastened |
| jackyard | spar used to spread the foot of a gaff-topsail |
| jib | small triangular sail extending from the head of the foremast |
| jibboom | spar forming an extension of the bowsprit |
| jibe | to change a ship’s course to make the boom shift sides |
| jurymast | mast erected on ship in place of one lost |
| kedge | small anchor to keep a ship steady |
| keelhaul | to punish by dragging under keel of ship |
| keelson | lengthwise wooden or steel beam in ship for bearing stress |
| kentledge | pig-iron used as ballast in ship’s hold |
| lagan | cargo jettisoned from ship but marked by buoys for recovery |
| lanyard | rope or line for fastening something in a ship |
| larboard | left side of a ship |
| lastage | room for stowing goods in a ship |
| lateen | triangular sail rigged on ship’s spar |
| laveer | to sail against the wind |
| lazaret | space in ship between decks used for storage |
| leeboard | wood or metal planes attached to hull to prevent leeway |
| leech | a vertical edge of a square sail |
| loxodograph | device used to record ship’s travels |
| luff | windward side of a ship; forward edge of fore-and-aft sail |
| lugsail | four-sided sail bent to an obliquely hanging yard |
| lutchet | fitting on ship’s deck to allow mast to pivot to pass under bridges |
| mainmast | sailing ship’s principal mast |
| mainsail | principal sail on a ship’s mainmast |
| mainsheet | rope by which mainsail is trimmed and secured |
| mainstay | stay that extends from the main-top to the foot of the foremast |
| manrope | rope used as a handrail on a ship |
| martingale | lower stay of rope used to sustain strain of the forestays |
| mizzen | three-masted vessel; aft sail of such a vessel |
| mizzenmast | mast aft or next aft of the mainmast in a ship |
| moonraker | topmost sail of a ship, above the skyscraper |
| oakum | old ropes untwisted for caulking the seams of ships |
| orlop | lowest deck in a ship having four or more decks |
| outhaul | rope used to haul a sail taut along a spar |
| outrigger | spar extended from side of ship to help secure mast |
| painter | rope attached to bow of a boat to attach it to a ship or a post |
| pallograph | instrument measuring ship’s vibration |
| parrel | band by which a yard is fastened to a mast |
| patroon | captain of a ship; coxswain of a longboat |
| poop | enclosed structure at stern of ship above main deck |
| port | when facing forward, the left side of a ship |
| primage | fee paid to loaders for loading ship |
| purser | ship’s officer in charge of finances and passengers |
| quarterdeck | part of ship’s deck set aside by captain for ceremonial functions |
| quartering | sailing nearly before the wind |
| rake | the inclination of a mast or another part of a ship |
| ratline | small rope forming a rung of a rope ladder on a ship |
| reef | to reduce area of a sail by rolling or folding part of it |
| reeve | to pass a rope through a ring |
| roach | curved cut in edge of sail for preventing chafing |
| roband | piece of yarn used to fasten a sail to a spar |
| rostrum | spike on prow of warship for ramming |
| rowlock | contrivance serving as a fulcrum for an oar |
| royal | small sail on royal mast just above topgallant sail |
| scud | to sail swiftly before a gale |
| scupper | hole allowing water to drain from ship’s deck |
| scuttlebutt | cask of drinking water aboard a ship; rumour, idle gossip |
| scuttles | portholes on a ship |
| sheer | fore-and-aft curvature of a ship from bow to stern |
| shrouds | ropes supporting the mast of a ship |
| sidelight | coloured lights on side of a ship under way at night |
| skeg | part of ship connecting the keel with the bottom of the rudderpost |
| skysail | sail above the royal sail |
| skyscraper | triangular sail on a ship above the royal |
| slipway | ramp sloping into water for supporting a ship |
| snotty | naval midshipman |
| spanker | sail on the mast nearest the stern of a square-rigged ship |
| spar | any ship’s mast, boom, yard, or gaff |
| spinnaker | large triangular sail opposite the mainsail |
| spirketting | inside planking between ports and waterways of a ship |
| sponson | platform jutting from ship’s deck for gun or wheel |
| sprit | spar crossing a fore-and-aft sail diagonally |
| spritsail | sail extended by a sprit |
| starboard | when facing forward, the right side of a ship |
| starbolins | sailors of the starboard watch |
| stay | large rope used to support a mast |
| staysail | fore-and-aft sail hoisted on a stay |
| steeve | to set a ship’s bowsprit at an upward inclination |
| stemson | supporting timber of a ship |
| stern | back part of a ship |
| sternpost | main member at stern of a ship extending from keel to deck |
| sternway | movement of a ship backwards |
| stevedore | dock worker who loads and unloads ships |
| stokehold | ship’s furnace chamber |
| strake | continuous band of plates on side of a ship |
| stunsail | light auxiliary sail to the side of principal sails |
| supercargo | ship’s official in charge of business affairs |
| taffrail | rail round the stern of a ship |
| thole | pin in the side of a boat to keep oar in place |
| tiller | handle or lever for turning a ship’s rudder |
| timberhead | top end of ship’s timber used above the gunwale |
| timenoguy | rope stretched from place to place in a ship |
| topgallant | mast or sail above the topmast and below the royal mast |
| topmast | ship’s mast above the lower mast |
| topsail | ship’s sail above the lowermost sail |
| tranship | to transfer from one ship to another |
| transire | ship’s customs warrant for clearing goods |
| transom | transverse timbers attached to ship’s sternpost |
| treenail | long wooden pin used to fix planks of ship to the timbers |
| trice | to haul in and lash secure a sail with a small rope |
| trunnel | wooden shipbuilding peg used for fastening timbers |
| trysail | ship’s sail bent to a gaff and hoisted on a lower mast |
| tuck | part of ship where ends of lower planks meet under the stern |
| turtleback | structure over ship’s bows or stern |
| unreeve | to withdraw a rope from an opening |
| walty | inclined to tip over or lean |
| wardroom | quarters for ship’s officers |
| washboard | broad thin plank along ship’s gunwale to keep out sea water |
| watching | fully afloat |
| waveson | goods floating on the sea after a shipwreck |
| wear | to turn a ship’s stern to windward to alter its course |
| weatherboard | weather side of a ship |
| weatherly | able to sail close to the wind with little leeway |
| wheelhouse | shelter where ship’s steering wheel kept |
| whipstaff | vertical lever controlling ship’s rudder |
| windbound | hindered from sailing by contrary winds |
| windlass | winch used to raise a ship’s anchor |
| xebec | small three-masted pirate ship |
| yard | tapering spar attached to ship’s mast to spread the head of a square sail |
| yardarm | either end of the yard of a square-rigged ship |
| yawl | ship’s small boat; sailboat carrying mainsail and one or more jibs |
| zabra | small Spanish sailing vessel |
