ett named Captain Whiffle in contempt.

WHIMBREL. The smaller species of curlew, _Numenius phaeopus_.

WHIMSEY. A small crane for hoisting goods to the upper stories of
warehouses.

WHINYARD. A sort of hanger, serving both as a weapon and a knife. An
archaism for a cutlass. See the Gentleman in the _Cobler of
Canterburie_, 1590:--

"His cloake grew large and sid,
And a faire winniard by his side."

WHIP. A single rope rove through a single block to hoist in light
articles. Where greater and steadier power is demanded, a block is
added, and the standing part is made fast near the upper block. Thus it
becomes _a double whip_.--_To whip._ To hoist by a whip. Also, to tie
twine, whipping fashion, round the end of a rope to prevent its
untwisting.

WHIP, OR WHIP-STAFF. A strong staff fastened into the helm for the
steersman to move the rudder thereby.

WHIP-JACK. An old term, equivalent to fresh-water sailor, or a
sham-shipwrecked tar. (_See_ TURNPIKE-SAILORS.)

WHIPPERS. Men who deliver the cargoes of colliers in the river Thames
into lighters.

WHIPPING-TWINE. Used to whip the ends of ropes.

WHIP-RAY. A ray with a long tail ending in a very fine point. It is
armed with a dangerous serrated spine, jagged like a harpoon. Called
also _sting-ray_ and _stingaree_.

WHIP-SAW. The largest of that class of useful instruments, being that
generally used at the saw-pit.

WHIP UPON WHIP. A sort of easy purchase, much used in colliers. It
consists of one whip applied to the falls of another.

WHIRL, OR ROPE-WINCH. Small hooks fastened into cylindrical pieces of
wood which communicate by a leather strap with a spoke-wheel, whereby
three of them are set in motion at once. Used for spinning yarn for
ropes. Now more commonly made of iron.

WHIRLER, OR TROUGHTON'S TOP. An ingenious instrument invented by
Troughton, and intended to serve as an artificial horizon at sea; but it
was found that its centrifugal force was incapable of counteracting the
ordinary motion of a ship.

WHIRLPOOL. An eddy or vortex where the waters are continually rushing
round. In rivers they are very common, from various accidents, and are
usually of little consequence. In the sea they are more dangerous, as
the classical Charybdis, and the celebrated Maelstrom and Saltenstrom,
both on the coast of Norway.

WHIRLWIND. A revolving current of wind of small diameter that rises
suddenly, but is soon spent.

WHISKERS. Two booms, half-yards,