What does "dolphin" mean?
Dolphin: Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.) A mass of iron or lead hung from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped on the deck of an enemy's vessel.
Additional senses
- 2.(Naut.) (a) A kind of wreath or strap of plaited cordage. (b) A spar or buoy held by an anchor and furnished with a ring to which ships may fasten their cables. R. H. Dana. (c) A mooring post on a wharf or beach. (d) A permanent fender around a heavy boat just below the gunwale. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
- 3.(Gun.) In old ordnance, one of the handles above the trunnions by which the gun was lifted.
- 4.(Astron.) A small constellation between Aquila and Pegasus. See Delphinus, n., 2. Dolphin fly (Zoöl.), the black, bean, or collier, Aphis (Aphis fable), destructive to beans. -- Dolphin striker (Naut.), a short vertical spar under the bowsprit.
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