science

Glossary of nautical terms (A–L)

Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) rather than just read about it. In short: This glossary of nautical terms is an alphabetical listing of terms and expressions connected with ships, shipping, seamanship and navigation on water (mostly though not necessarily on the sea). Some remain current, while many date from the 17th to 19th centuries.

Key takeaways

Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

This glossary of nautical terms is an alphabetical listing of terms and expressions connected with ships, shipping, seamanship and navigation on water (mostly though not necessarily on the sea). Some remain current, while many date from the 17th to 19th centuries. The word nautical derives from the Latin nauticus, from Greek nautikos, from nautēs: "sailor", from naus: "ship". Further information on nautical terminology may also be found at Nautical metaphors in English, and additional military terms are listed in the Multiservice tactical brevity code article. Terms used in other fields associated with bodies of water can be found at Glossary of fishery terms, Glossary of underwater diving terminology, Glossary of rowing terms, and Glossary of meteorology.

AAW An acronym for anti-aircraft warfare.

aback (of a sail) Filled by the wind on the opposite side to the one normally used to move the vessel forward. On a square-rigged ship, any of the square sails can be braced round to be aback, the purpose of which may be to reduce speed (such as when a ship-of-the-line is keeping station with others), to heave to, or to assist moving the ship's head through the eye of the wind when tacking. A sudden shift in the wind can also cause a square-rigged vessel to be unintentionally "caught aback" with all sails aback. This is a dangerous situation that risks serious damage. In a fore-and-aft-rigged vessel, a headsail is backed either by hauling it across with the weather sheet or by tacking without releasing the sheet. It is used to heave to or to assist with tacking. See also back and fill.

abaft Toward the stern, relative to some object (e.g. "abaft the cockpit").

abaft the beam Farther aft than the beam; a relative bearing of greater than 90 degrees from the bow; e.g. "two points abaft the beam, starboard side" would describe "an object lying 22.5 degrees toward the rear of the ship, as measured clockwise from a perpendicular line from the right side, center, of the ship, toward the horizon".

abandon ship An imperative to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent overwhelming danger. It is an order issued by the master or a delegated person in command, and must be a verbal order. It is usually the last resort after all other mitigating actions have failed or become impossible, when destruction or loss of the ship is imminent, and is customarily followed by a command to "man the lifeboats" or life rafts.

abeam On the beam; a relative bearing at right angles to the ship's keel; e.g. describing an object located at a bearing of 90 degrees (starboard) or 270 degrees (port) as measured clockwise from the ship's bow.

able seaman (AB) Also able-bodied seaman. A merchant seaman qualified to perform all routine duties on a vessel, or a junior rank in some navies.

aboard On or in a vessel. Synonymous with "on board". See also close aboard.

about To change the course of a ship by tacking. "Ready about" is the order to prepare for tacking.

above board On or above the deck; in plain view; not hiding anything. Pirates would often hide their crews below decks, thereby creating the false impression that an encounter with another ship was a casual matter of chance rather than a planned assault.

above-water hull The section of a vessel's hull above the waterline; the visible part of a ship. See also topsides.

absentee pennant A special pennant flown to indicate the absence of a ship's commanding officer, admiral, chief-of-staff, or an officer whose flag is nonetheless flying (a division, squadron, or flotilla commander).

absolute bearing The bearing of an object in relation to north: either true bearing, using the geographical or true north, or magnetic bearing, using magnetic north. See also bearing and relative bearing.

accommodation ladder A portable flight of steps down a ship's side.

accommodation ship Also accommodation hull. A ship or hull used as housing, generally when there is a lack of quarters available ashore. An operational ship can be used, but more commonly a hull modified for accommodation is used.

Act of Grace Act of Pardon A letter from a state or power authorising action by a privateer. See also letter of marque.

action stations See battle stations. admiral A senior naval officer of flag rank. In ascending order of seniority in the Royal Navy: rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral, (until about 2001, when all British five-star ranks were discontinued) admiral of the fleet, and the Lord High Admiral. In the US Navy: rear admiral (lower half), rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral, and (unused since the Second World War) fleet admiral.

admiralty 1. A high naval authority in charge of a state's navy or a major territorial component. In the Royal Navy (UK), the Board of Admiralty, executing the office of the Lord High Admiral, promulgates naval law in the form of King's Regulations and admiralty instructions. 2. Another name for admiralty law.

admiralty law The body of law that deals with maritime cases. In the UK, it is administered by the Admiralty Court, a special court within the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice. The Admiralty Court is now in the Rolls Building.

adrift 1. Afloat and unattached in any way to the shore or seabed, but not underway. When referring to a vessel, it implies that the vessel is not being or able to be controlled and therefore goes where the wind and current take her; a vessel in this condition may also be described as "loose from her moorings" or "out of place". 2. Any gear not fastened down or stored properly. 3. Any person or thing that is misplaced or missing. When applied to a member of the Navy or Marine Corps, such a person is said to be "absent without leave" (AWOL) or, in US Navy and US Marine Corps terminology, is guilty of an "unauthorized absence" (UA).

advance note A note for one month's wages issued to a sailor on his signing a ship's articles.

adviso See aviso. afloat 1. (of a vessel) Floating freely (not aground or sunk). The term may also be used more generally of any floating object or person. 2. In service, even if not currently underway, but not stranded, crewless, in repair, or under construction (e.g. "the company has 10 ships afloat").

afore 1. In, on, or toward the fore or front of a vessel. 2. In front of a vessel.

aft Toward the stern or rear of a vessel. To the purist, this is an adverb (e.g. "he walked aft") with the corresponding adjective being after (e.g. "the after mooring cleat")

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Glossary of nautical terms (A–L)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Glossary of nautical terms (A–L)

In research: Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Nautical terminology, Naval architecture, Sailing ship components, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
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Frequently asked questions

What is Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) in simple terms?

Why does Glossary of nautical terms (A–L) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Glossary of nautical terms (A–L)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Glossary of nautical terms (A–L).