LUBBER'S HOLE • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Lubber's hole

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/lˈəbərz hoʊl/ Listen

noun

Lubber n. A heavy, clumsy, or awkward fellow; a sturdy drone; a clown. "Lingering lubbers lose many a penny."

Land lubber, a name given in contempt by sailors to a person who lives on land.

Lubber grasshopper (Zool.), a large, stout, clumsy grasshopper; esp., Brachystola magna, from the Rocky Mountain plains, and Romalea microptera, which is injurious to orange trees in Florida.

Lubber's hole (Naut.), a hole in the floor of the "top," next the mast, through which sailors may go aloft without going over the rim by the futtock shrouds. It is considered by seamen as only fit to be used by lubbers.

Lubber's line, Lubber's point, or Lubber's mark, a line or point in the compass case indicating the head of the ship, and consequently the course which the ship is steering.

See images of 'Lubber's hole'

Etymology of 'Lubber's hole'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Lubber's hole" Quotes from Famous Books

... you? and now look yourself, and see where your tongs are pointing. But, perhaps you expect to get into heaven by crawling through the lubber's hole, cook; but, no, no, cook, you don't get there, except you go the regular way, round by the rigging. It's a ticklish business, but must be done, or else it's no go. But none of us are in heaven yet. Drop your tongs, cook, and hear my orders. Do ...

— Moby Dick; or The Whale • Herman Melville

... being able to climb the tree-ladder. It did not seem any more difficult than swarming up the shrouds of a ship, and not half so hard as going round the main-top without crawling through the "lubber's hole"—a feat he had often performed on his father's vessel. Therefore, without asking leave, or saying a word to any one, he laid hold of the bamboo pegs and started up ...

— The Castaways • Captain Mayne Reid