ally fixed in the long-boat, and
with the assistance of a small windlass, used to weigh the anchor by the
buoy-rope, &c.

DAVIT-GUYS. Ropes used to steady boats' davits.

DAVIT-ROPE. The lashing which secures the davit to the shrouds when out
of use.

DAVIT-TOPPING-LIFT. A rope made fast to the outer end of a davit, and
rove through a block made fast to a vessel's mast aloft, with a tackle
attached. Usually employed for bringing the anchor in-board.

DAVY JONES. The spirit of the sea; a nikker; a sea-devil.

DAVY JONES'S LOCKER. The ocean; the common receptacle for all things
thrown overboard; it is a phrase for death or the other world, when
speaking of a person who has been buried at sea.

DAW-FISH. The _Scyllium catulus_, a small dog-fish.

DAWK-BOAT. A boat for the conveyance of letters in India; _dawk_ being
the Hindostanee for _mail_.

DAY. The astronomical day is reckoned from noon to noon, continuously
through the twenty-four hours, like the other days. It commences at
noon, twelve hours after the civil day, which itself begins twelve hours
after the nautical day, so that the _noon_ of the civil day, the
_beginning_ of the astronomical day, and the _end_ of the nautical day,
occur at the same moment. (_See the words_ SOLAR and SIDEREAL.)

DAY-BOOK. An old and better name for the log-book; a journal [Fr.]

DAY-MATES. Formerly the mates of the several decks--now abolished.
(_See_ SUB-LIEUTENANT.)

DAY-SKY. The aspect of the sky at day-break, or at twilight.

DAY'S WORK. In navigation, the reckoning or reduction of the ship's
courses and distances made good during twenty-four hours, or from noon
to noon, according to the rules of trigonometry, and thence ascertaining
her latitude and longitude by _dead-reckoning_ (which see).

D-BLOCK. A lump of oak in the shape of a D, bolted to the ship's side in
the channels to reeve the lifts through.

DEAD-ANGLE. In fortification, is an angle receiving no defence, either
by its own fire or that of any other works.

DEAD-CALM. A total cessation of wind; the same as _flat-calm_.

DEAD-DOORS. Those fitted in a rabbet to the outside of the
quarter-gallery doors, with the object of keeping out the sea, in case
of the gallery being carried away.

DEADEN A SHIP'S WAY, TO. To retard a vessel's progress by bracing in the
yards, so as to reduce the effect of the sails, or by backing minor
sails. Also, when sounding to luff up and shake all, to obtain a cast of
the d