cold-iron v. (of a ship) to receive electricity, heat, water, and other utilities from shoreside. Editorial Note: The noun “cold iron” refers to a ship that cannot or does not operate under its own power, as seen in the 1956 and 1963 citations. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Mark in Bismarck, North Dakota, spent years as a sailor, and wonders about the term sea painter, meaning “a rope attached to a lifeboat.” Why painter? The word may derive from Middle French pendeur meaning “a kind of rope that...