Helm amidships, when the tiller, rudder, and keel are in the same
plane. -- Helm aport, when the tiller is borne over to the port side of
the ship. -- Helm astarboard, when the tiller is borne to the starboard
side. -- Helm alee, Helm aweather, when the tiller is borne over to the
lee or to the weather side. -- Helm hard alee or hard aport, hard
astarboard, etc., when the tiller is borne over to the extreme limit.
-- Helm port, the round hole in a vessel's counter through which the
rudderstock passes. -- Helm down, helm alee. -- Helm up, helm aweather.
-- To ease the helm, to let the tiller come more amidships, so as to
lessen the strain on the rudder. -- To feel the helm, to obey it. -- To
right the helm, to put it amidships. -- To shift the helm, to bear the
tiller over to the corresponding position on the opposite side of the
vessel. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Helm, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Helmed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Helming.] To
steer; to guide; to direct. [R.]
The business he hath helmed.
Shak.
A wild wave . . . overbears the bark, And him that helms it.
Tennyson.