SINET. An old Chaucerian term for zenith.

SINGING. The chaunt by which the leadsman in the chains proclaims his
soundings at each cast:--

"To heave the lead the seaman sprung,
And to the pilot cheerly sung,
By the deep--nine."

SINGLE, TO. To unreeve the running part of top-sail sheets, &c., to let
them run freely, or for harbour duty.

SINGLE-ACTION ENGINE. _See_ ATMOSPHERIC STEAM-ENGINE.

SINGLE ANCHOR. A ship unmoored, having hove up one bower, rides by the
other.

SING SMALL. To make a bullying boaster _sing small_, by lowering his
arrogance.

SINICAL QUADRANT. _See_ QUADRANT.

SINNET. _See_ SENNIT.

SIR. Once a scholastic title applied to priests and curates; now to
knights. "Aye, aye, sir," is the well-known answer from seamen, denoting
'cuteness, combined with good humour and obedience.

SIRIUS. The principal star, {a}, of the constellation Canis Major, and
the brightest in the heavens; the dog-star.

SIROCCO. An oppressively hot parching wind from the deserts of Africa,
which in the southern part of Italy and Sicily comes from the
south-east; it sometimes commences faintly about the summer solstice.

SISERARA, OR SURSERARA. A tremendous blow; or a violent rebuke.

SISSOO. An Indian timber much used in the construction of country ships.

SISTER OR CISTERN BLOCK. A turned cylindrical block having two
sheave-holes, one above the other. It fits in between the first pair of
top-mast shrouds on each side, and is secured by seizings below the
cat-harpings. The topsail-lift reeves through the lower, and the
reef-tackle pendant through the upper.

SISTER-KEELSONS. Square timbers extending along the floors, by the main
keelson, leaving sufficient space on each side for the limbers. (_See_
SIDE-KEELSONS.)

SISTROID ANGLE. One like a sistrum, the Egyptian musical instrument.

SITCH. A little current of water, generally dry in summer.

SIX-UPON-FOUR. Reduced allowance; four rations allotted to six men.

SIX-WATER GROG. Given as a punishment for neglect or drunkenness,
instead of the usual _four-water_, which is one part rum, and four parts
water, lime-juice, and sugar.

SIZE, TO. To range soldiers, marines, and small-arm men, so that the
tallest may be on the flanks of a party.

SIZE-FISH. A whale, of which the whalebone blades are six feet or
upwards in length; the harpooner gets a bonus for striking a
"size-fish."

SIZES. A corruption for _six-upon-four_ (which s