Hawse n. 2.(Naut.) (a)The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on the port bow.
(b)The distance ahead to which the cables usually extend; as, the ship has a clear or open hawse, or a foul hawse; to anchor in our hawse, or athwart hawse.
(c)That part of a vessel's bow in which are the hawse holes for the cables.
Athwart hawse. See under Athwart. Foul hawse, a hawse in which the cables cross each other, or are twisted together.
Hawse block, a block used to stop up a hawse hole at sea; called also hawse plug.
Hawse piece, one of the foremost timbers of a ship, through which the hawse hole is cut.
Hawse plug. Same as Hawse block (above).
To come in at the hawse holes, to enter the naval service at the lowest grade. (Cant)
To freshen the hawse, to veer out a little more cable and bring the chafe and strain on another part.
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