CHINGUERITO. A hot and dangerous sort of white corn brandy, made in
Spanish America.
CHINSE, TO. To stop small seams, by working in oakum with a knife or
chisel--a temporary expedient. To caulk slightly those openings that
will not bear the force required for caulking.
CHINSING-IRON. A caulker's tool for chinsing seams with.
CHIP, TO. To trim a gun when first taken from the mould or castings.
CHIPS. The familiar soubriquet of the carpenter on board ship. The
fragments of timber and the planings of plank are included among
chips.--_Chip of the old block_, a son like his father.
CHIRURGEON. [Fr.] The old name for surgeon.
CHISEL. A well-known edged tool for cutting away wood, iron, &c.
CHIT. A note. Formerly the note for slops given by the officer of a
division to be presented to the purser.
CHIULES. The Saxon ships so called.
CHIVEY. A knife.
CHLET. An old Manx term for a rock in the sea.
CHOCK. A sort of wedge used to rest or confine any weighty body, and
prevent it from fetching way when the ship is in motion. Also, pieces
fitted to supply a deficiency or defect after the manner of filling.
Also, blocks of timber latterly substituted beneath the beams for knees,
and wedged by iron keys. (_See_ BOAT-CHOCKS.)--_Chock of the bowsprit._
_See_ BEND.--_Chocks of the rudder_, large accurately adapted pieces of
timber kept in readiness to choak the rudder, by filling up the
excavation on the side of the rudder hole, in case of any accident. It
is also choaked or chocked, when a ship is likely to get strong
stern-way, when tiller-ropes break, &c.--_To chock_, is to put a wedge
under anything to prevent its rolling. (_See_ CHUCK.)
CHOCK-A-BLOCK, OR CHOCK AND BLOCK. Is the same with _block-a-block_ and
_two-blocks_ (which see). When the lower block of a tackle is run close
up to the upper one, so that you can hoist no higher, the blocks being
together.
CHOCK-AFT, CHOCK-FULL, CHOCK-HOME, CHOCK-UP, &c. Denote as far aft,
full, home, up, &c., as possible, or that which fits closely to one
another.
CHOCK-CHANNELS. Those filled in with wood between the chain-plates,
according to a plan introduced by Captain Couch, R.N.
CHOCOLATE-GALE. A brisk N.W. wind of the West Indies and Spanish main.
CHOGSET. _See_ BURGALL.
CHOKE. The nip of a rocket.
CHOKED. When a running rope sticks in a block, either by slipping
between the cheeks and the shiver, or any other accident, so that it
cannot run.
CHOKE-FULL. Entirely full; top full.
CHOKE THE LUFF. To place suddenly the fall of a tackle close to the
block across the jaw of the next turn of the rope in the block, so as to
prevent the leading part from rendering. Familiarly said of having a
meal to assuage hunger; to be silenced.
CHOKEY. An East Indian guard-house and prison.
CHOMMERY. _See_ CHASSE MAREES, for which this is the men's term.
CHOP. A permit or license of departure for merchant ships in the China
trade. A Chinese word signifying quality. Also, an imperial chop or
mandate; a proclamation.
CHOP, OR CHAPP. The entrance of a channel, as the Chops of the English
Channel.
CHOP-ABOUT, TO. Is applied to the wind when it varies and changes
suddenly, and at short intervals of time.
CHOPPING-SEA. A synonym of _cockling sea_ (which see).
CHOPT. Done suddenly in exigence; as, _chopt_ to an anchor.
CHORD. In geometry, is a line which joins the extremities of any arc of
a circle.
CHOW-CHOW. Eatables; a word borrowed from the Chinese. It is supposed to
be derived from _chou-chou_, the tender parts of cabbage-tree, bamboo,
&c., preserved.
CHOWDER. The principal food in the Newfoundland bankers, or stationary
fishing vessels; it consists of a stew of fresh cod-fish, rashers of
salt pork or bacon, biscuit, and lots of pepper. Also, a buccaneer's
savoury dish, and a favourite dish in North America. (_See_ COD-FISHER'S
CREW.) Chowder is a fish-seller in the western counties.
CHOWDER-HEADED. Stupid, or batter-brained.
CHRISTIAN. A gold Danish coin, value in England from 16_s._ to 16_s._
4_d._
CHRISTIAN'S GALES. The tremendous storms in 1795-6, which desolated the
fleet proceeding to attack the French West India Islands, under Admiral
Christian.
CHROCKLE. A tangle or _thoro'put_ (which see).
CHRODANE. The Manx and Gaelic term for gurnet.
CHRONOMETER. A valuable time-piece fitted with a compensation-balance,
adjusted for the accurate measurement of time in all climates, and used
by navigators for the determination of the longitude.
CHRONOMETER RATE. The number of seconds or parts of seconds which it
loses or gains per diem. (_See_ RATING.)
CHRUIN. A Gaelic term for masts.--_Chruin-spreie_, the bowsprit.
CHUB. The _Leuciscus cephalus_, a fresh-water fish.
CHUCK. A sea-shell. Nickname for a boatswain, "Old chucks." Also, an old
word signifying large chips of wood.
CHUCKLE-HEADED. Clownishly stupid; lubberly.
CHULLERS. A northern name for the gills of a fish.
CHUNAM. Lime made of burned shells, and much used in India for the naval
store-houses. That made at Madras is of peculiarly fine quality, and
easily takes a polish like white marble.
CHUNK. A coarse slice of meat or bread; more properly _junk_. Also, the
negro term for lumps of firewood.