What does "athwart" mean?
Athwart: (Naut.) Across the direction or course of; as, a fleet standing athwart our course. Athwart hawse, across the stem of another vessel, whether in contact or at a small distance. -- Athwart ships, across the ship from side to side, or in that direction; -- opposed to fore and aft.
Additional senses
- 2.Across, especially in an oblique direction; sidewise; obliquely. Sometimes athwart, sometimes he strook him straight. Spenser.
- 3.Across the course; so as to thwart; perversely. All athwart there came A post from Wales loaden with heavy news. Shak.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00