What is "athwart hawse"

Athwart \A*thwart"\, prep. [Pref. a- + thwart.]

1. Across; from side to side of.

   Athwart the thicket lone.
   --Tennyson.

2. (Naut.) Across the direction or course of; as, a fleet standing athwart our course.

   Athwart hawse, across the stem of another vessel, whether in contact or at a small distance.

   Athwart ships, across the ship from side to side, or in that direction; -- opposed to fore and aft.

Hawse \Hawse\ (h[add]z or h[add]s; 277), n. [Orig. a hawse hole, or hole in the bow of the ship; cf. Icel. hals, h[=a]ls, neck, part of the bows of a ship, AS. heals neck. See Collar, and cf. Halse to embrace.]

1. A hawse hole.
   --Harris.

2. (Naut.)

   1. The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on the port bow.

   2. 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.

   3. 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.