What does "spanker" mean?
Spanker: (Naut.) The after sail of a ship or bark, being a fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff; -- sometimes called driver. See Illust. under Sail. Totten.
Additional senses
- 2.One who takes long, quick strides in walking; also, a fast horse. [Colloq.]
- 3.Something very large, or larger than common; a whopper, as a stout or tall person. [Colloq.] Spanker boom (Naut.), a boom to which a spanker sail is attached. See Illust. of Ship.
- 4.A small coin. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
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