The Collaborative International Dictionary
Port \Port\, n. [F. porte, L. porta, akin to portus; cf. AS. porte, fr. L. porta. See Port a harbor, and cf. Porte.]
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A passageway; an opening or entrance to an inclosed place; a gate; a door; a portal. [Archaic]
Him I accuse The city ports by this hath entered.
--Shak.Form their ivory port the cherubim Forth issuing.
--Milton. -
(Naut.) An opening in the side of a vessel; an embrasure through which cannon may be discharged; a porthole; also, the shutters which close such an opening.
Her ports being within sixteen inches of the water.
--Sir W. Raleigh. -
(Mach.) A passageway in a machine, through which a fluid, as steam, water, etc., may pass, as from a valve to the interior of the cylinder of a steam engine; an opening in a valve seat, or valve face.
Air port, Bridle port, etc. See under Air, Bridle, etc.
Port bar (Naut.), a bar to secure the ports of a ship in a gale.
Port lid (Naut.), a lid or hanging for closing the portholes of a vessel.
Steam port, & Exhaust port (Steam Engine), the ports of the cylinder communicating with the valve or valves, for the entrance or exit of the steam, respectively.
Usage examples of "port lid".
Men stood by at every port lid, holding the lanyard that would trice it up, allowing the guns to be run out.
Soon he could hear the rumble of the guns being run in, then the crash as port lid after port lid was allowed to slam shut, leaving the side as smooth as the walls of a house with the windows shut.
At each gun the muzzle-lashing was coiled exactly and made fast to the eye-bolt above the gun port lid.