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spanker
spanker, the fore-and-aft sail set from the mizzen of square-rigged ships, usually with a gaff and a boom. Although used for propulsion, the principal function of the spanker is to aid the ship in manoeuvre and to be set to assist in the balance of the helm. It grew so large in the big grain carriers that the Germans split it in two with double gaffs so that the two halves could be furled independently. Many square-rigged ships also carry a spanker topsail reaching to the mizzen masthead. In early ships a driver was often used to augment the sail area in light conditions and the term driver is occasionally used in place of spanker.
Colin Mudie |
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Cite this article
"spanker." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spanker." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-spanker.html "spanker." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-spanker.html |
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spanker
spank·er / ˈspangkər/ • n. 1. a fore-and-aft sail set on the after side of a ship's mast, esp. the mizzenmast. 2. inf., dated a very fine person or thing. |
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Cite this article
"spanker." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spanker." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-spanker.html "spanker." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-spanker.html |
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spanker
spanker
•alpaca, attacker, backer, clacker, claqueur, cracker, Dhaka, hacker, Hakka, knacker, lacquer, maraca, paca, packer, sifaka, slacker, smacker, stacker, tacker, tracker, whacker, yakka
•Kafka
•anchor, banker, Bianca, canker, Casablanca, Costa Blanca, flanker, franker, hanker, lingua franca, Lubyanka, rancour (US rancor), ranker, Salamanca, spanker, Sri Lanka, tanka, tanker, up-anchor, wanker
•Alaska, lascar, Madagascar, Nebraska
•Kamchatka • linebacker • outbacker
•hijacker, skyjacker
•Schumacher • backpacker
•safecracker • wisecracker
•nutcracker • firecracker • ransacker
•scrimshanker • bushwhacker
•barker, haka, Kabaka, Lusaka, marker, moussaka, nosy parker, Oaxaca, Osaka, parka, Shaka, Zarqa
•asker, masker
•backmarker • waymarker
•Becker, checker, Cheka, chequer, Dekker, exchequer, Flecker, mecca, Neckar, Necker, pecker, Quebecker, Rebecca, Rijeka, trekker, weka, wrecker
•sepulchre (US sepulcher) • Cuenca
•burlesquer, Francesca, Wesker
•woodpecker
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Cite this article
"spanker." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spanker." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-spanker.html "spanker." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-spanker.html |
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