d.

OVER-RISEN. When a ship is too high out of the water for her length and
breadth, so as to make a trouble of lee-lurches and weather-rolls. Such
were our 80-gun three-deckers and 44's on two decks, happily now no
more.

OVER-RUNNING. (_See_ UNDER-RUN.) Applied to ice, when the young ice
overlaps, and is driven over.

OVER-SEA VESSELS. Ships from foreign parts, as distinguished from
coasters.

OVER-SETTING. The state of a ship turning upside down, either by
carrying too much sail or by grounding, so that she falls on one side.
(_See_ UPSET.)

OVERSHOOT, TO. To give a ship too much way.

OVERSLAUGH. From the Dutch _overslag_, meaning the bar of a river or
port. Also, in military parlance, the being passed over in the roster
for some recurring duty without being assigned to it in turn.

OVER-SWACK. An old word, signifying the reflux of the waves by the force
of the wind.

OVERWHELM. A comprehensive word derived from the Ang.-Saxon _wylm_, a
wave. Thus the old song--

"Lash'd to the helm, should seas o'erwhelm."

OWLER. An old term on our southern coast for smuggler. Particularly
persons who carried wool by night, in order to ship it contrary to law.

OWN, TO. To be a proprietor in a ship.

OWNERS. The proprietors of ships. They are bound to perform contracts
made by their masters, who are legally their agents.

OXBOWS. Bends or reaches of a river.

OX-EYE. A small cloud, or weather-gall, seen on the coast of Africa,
which presages a severe storm. It appears at first in the form of an
ox-eye, but soon overspreads the whole hemisphere, accompanied by a
violent wind which scatters ships in all directions, and many are sunk
downright. Also, a water-fowl. Also, the smaller glass bull's eyes.

OXYGON. A triangle which has three sharp or acute angles.

OXYRINCHUS. A large species of the skate family.

OYSE. An inlet of the sea, among the Shetlands and Orkneys.

OYSTER-BED. A "laying" of culch, that is, stones, old shells, or other
hard substances, so as to form a bed for oysters, which would be choked
in soft mud.

OYSTER-CATCHER, OR SEA-PYE. The black and white coast-bird, _Haematopus
ostralegus_.

OZELLA. A Venetian coin both in gold and silver; the former being L1,
17_s._ 4_d._, and the latter 1_s._ 7_d._, in sterling value.

P.

PACE. A measure, often used for reconnoitring objects. The common pace
is 2-1/2 feet, or half the geometrical pace. The pace is also often
roughly assumed