If you’re on tenterhooks, it means you’re in a state of anxious anticipation or suspense. But what IS a tenterhook? The answer goes back to a 15th-century manufacturing process. Also, you probably have a term for those crumbs that collect in the...
spud n.— «When working in deep water, the hull of the dredge is held in place by two forward spuds (large steel poles) and one aft spud. Each of these spuds has “power down” capability. Using the spud’s winch system, the operator forces the spud...
slip queen n.— «At the same time, state officials are about to launch an educational outreach program aimed at marine boat owners. Nonnative tunicates sometimes attach themselves to hulls. Particularly vulnerable are so-called “slip queens,” or...
scamping n.— «The regulation, aimed at protecting U.S. waters from the unintentional introduction of non-native species, requires ship owners to remove all “fouling organisms”— such as grass, moss and mussels—from the hull, piping and tanks “on a...
scamping n.— «Instead, divers now clean the ships with scrubbers. It is that process, known as “scamping,” that concerns environmentalists and board officials because hull materials can come off with the marine growth and stay in the water.» —“Hull...
bird screamer v.— «California fishermen went to a meeting last December to find out which alternatives to shooting they are allowed to use. Approved methods include: slingshots, paint ball guns, and rubber bullets. They can also engage in “hazing”...