Definitions for CatHead
cat·head

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. catheadnoun

   A heavy piece of timber projecting from each side of the bow of a ship for holding anchors which were fitted with a stock in position for letting go or for securing after weighing.

2. catheadnoun

   Similar rigging on the outside of a building.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Catheadnoun

   A kind of fossil.

   These nodules, with leaves in them, called catheads, seem to consist of a sort of iron stone, not unlike that which is found in the rocks near Whitehaven in Cumberland, where they call them catscaups. John Woodward, on Fossils.

2. Catheadnoun

   In a ship. A piece of timber with two shivers at one end, having a rope and a block, to which is fastened a great iron hook, to trice up the anchor from the hawse to the top of the forecastle. Sea Dict.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Cathead

   A cathead is a large wooden beam located on either side of the bow of a sailing ship, and angled forward at roughly 45 degrees. The beam is used to support the ship's anchor when raising it (weighing anchor) or lowering it (letting go), and for carrying the anchor on its stock-end when suspended outside the ship's side. The cathead is furnished with sheaves at the outer end, and the inner end (which is called the cat's-tail) fits down on the cat-beam. The shank painter is a short rope or chain by which the shank of an anchor is held fast to a ship's side when not in use. The process of securing the anchor is called catting and fishing it. The cat stopper also fastens the anchor on. The purpose of the cathead is to provide both a heavy enough beam to support the massive weight of the anchor, and to hold the metal anchor away from the wooden side of the ship to prevent damage when the anchor is being raised from the water. The stockless anchor made the cathead obsolete. In common practice, the projecting end of the beam was carved to resemble the face of a lion or cat. Whether such carving was due to a play on the already existing name of the beam or whether the beam was so named because of the practice of such carving is unknown. The origin of the term "cathead" is obscure, but dates at least to the 17th century, as it was used by Mainwaring and Boteler in their dictionaries. The Mainwaring dictionary was written in 1623.Nautical author Robert Charles Leslie, writes: "The term catheads used for the two stout projecting timbers on either bow, from which the anchor hung clear of the ship before letting go, was no doubt connected with the fact of a lion or large cat usually carved upon the end of the item."

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Catheadnoun

   a projecting piece of timber or iron near the bow of vessel, to which the anchor is hoisted and secured

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Cathead

   A cathead is a large wooden beam located on either bow of a sailing ship, and angled outward at roughly 45 degrees. The beam is used to support the ship's anchor when raising it or lowering it, and for carrying the anchor on its stock-end when suspended outside the ship's side. It is furnished with sheaves at the outer end, and the inner end fits down on the cat-beam. The cat stopper also fastens the anchor on. The purpose of the cathead is to provide both a heavy enough beam to support the massive weight of the anchor, and to hold the metal anchor away from the wooden side of the ship to prevent damage. In common practice, the projecting end of the beam was carved to resemble the face of a lion or cat. Whether such carving was due to a play on the already existing name of the beam or whether the beam was so named because of the practice of such carving is unknown. The origin of the term "cathead" is obscure, but dates at least to the 17th century used by mainwaring and boteler in their dictionaries. In Robert Charles Leslie's Old Sea Wings, Ways and Words in the Days of Oak and Hemp, page 154 he writes: "The term catheads used for the two stout projecting timbers on either bow, from which the anchor hung clear of the ship before letting go, was no doubt connected with the fact of a lion or large cat usually carved upon the end of the item."

How to pronounce CatHead?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say CatHead in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of CatHead in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of CatHead in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Cathead
2. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=CatHead
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathead
4. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CatHead
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=CatHead