DECOMBRES, the chips and useless pieces of timber which are left on a ship-wright's wharf, after a vessel is built and launched.

DÉCOUDRE, to rip off planks from any part of a ship's side, in order to examine her timbers, &c.

DÉCOUVERTE, a look-out at the mast-head.

DECOUVRIR les terres, to make, or discover, the land.

DEDANS, when expressed of the sails, imports furled or stowed: as, Mettre les voiles DEDANS, to take in the sails.

DÉFEND, keep off, keep at a distance; the order given by the pilot, or officer of the watch, to the helmsman, to steer off further from some adjacent object, which may damage the ship.

DÉFENDER la côte, to defend the sea-coast, and prevent an enemy from landing thereon.

DÉFENSES, the skeeds of a ship's fide; also booms to fend-off another ship which is near.

DEFENSES de bouts de cable. See CORDES de defense.

DEFENSES pour chaloupes, loose skeeds hung over a ship's sides occasionally, to preserve the boats from being damaged when they are hoisted into, or out of, the vessel.

DÉFERLER, to loose or heave out the sails. See DÉPLOYER.

DÉFIE du vent, you are all in the wind; keep her full ! an information or caution to the helmsman, that the ship is too near the wind; implying that he should keep her further off, or more to leeward, so as to fill the sails.

DÉFIE l'ancré du bord, bear off the anchor! the order to keep the fluke or bill of the anchor off from the side, to prevent it from tearing the planks at the time of hoisting the fluke up, in order to be secured by the shank-painter.

DÉFIER, to bear off, as a ship from a wharf, or one vessel from another, to prevent either from being bruised or damaged by rubbing, or striking against each other.

DÉFUNER, to unrig a ship, to strip a mast, &c.

Reference Works