ature of the bottom.

SCORE. Twenty; commercially, in the case of certain articles, six score
went to the hundred--a usage thus regulated:

"Five score's a hundred of men, money, and pins:
Six score's a hundred of all other things."

Also an angular piece cut out of a solid. Also, an account or reckoning.

SCORE OF A BLOCK, OR OF A DEAD EYE. The groove round which the rope
passes.

SCORPIO. The eighth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about the
22d of October. {a} Scorpii, _Antares_; a nautical star.

SCOT, OR SHOT. Anglo-Saxon _sceat_. A share of anything; a contribution
in fair proportion.

SCOTCHMAN. A piece of stiff hide, or batten of wood, placed over the
backstays fore-swifter of the shrouds, &c., so as to secure the standing
rigging from being chafed. Perhaps so called from the scotch or notch
where the seizing is passed.

SCOTCH MIST. Mizzle, or small soaking rain.

SCOTCH PRIZE. A mistake; worse than no prize, or one liable to hamper
the captors with heavy law expenses.

SCOTIA. Carved mouldings and grooves.

SCOUR A BEACH, TO. To pour a quick flanking fire along it, in order to
dislodge an enemy.

SCOURER, OR SCOURING-STICK. Spring-searcher. An implement to clean the
interior of musket barrels.

SCOURGE. A name of the boatswain's cat.

SCOUR THE SEAS, TO. To infest the ocean as a pirate.

SCOUSE. A dish made of pounded biscuit and salt beef cut into small
pieces, boiled up with seasoning. (_See_ LOBSCOUSE.)

SCOUTS. Small vessels of war for especial service. (_See_ SKOUTS.) Also,
intelligent men sent in advance to discover the enemy, and give an
account of his force.

SCOW. A large flat-bottomed boat, used either as a lighter, or for
ferrying.

SCOW-BANKER. A manager of a scow. Also, a contemptuous term for a
lubberly fellow.

SCOWRING. The cleansing and clearing a harbour by back-water, or
otherwise. Also an old term for tropical flux or dysentery.

SCRABBLE. A badly written log. This term is used by the translators of
the Bible at David's feigned madness, when he "scrabbled on the doors of
the gate."

SCRABER. The puffinet, _Colymbus grille_. (_See_ GREENLAND DOVE.)

SCRAPER [from the Anglo-Saxon _screope_]. A small triangular iron
instrument, having two or three sharp edges. It is used to scrape the
ship's side or decks after caulking, or to clean the top-masts, &c. This
is usually followed by a varnish of turpentine, or a mixture of tar and
oil, to protect the w