The Collaborative International Dictionary
Spanker \Spank"er\ (sp[a^][ng]k"[~e]r), n.
One who spanks, or anything used as an instrument for spanking.
(Naut.) The after sail of a ship or bark, being a fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff; -- sometimes called driver. See Illust. under Sail.
--Totten.One who takes long, quick strides in walking; also, a fast horse. [Colloq.]
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Something very large, or larger than common; a whopper, as a stout or tall person. [Colloq.]
Spanker boom (Naut.), a boom to which a spanker sail is attached. See Illust. of Ship.
Usage examples of "spanker boom".
One of the two soldiers whom we had employed to fish the two pieces of the spanker boom, with some quartering that we had, was washed overboard and drowned.
For a moment Roberto grasps the spanker boom (if I have understood correctly), until the sail is rent, shredded by thunderbolts, the boom and the gaff both start emulating the curved course of the stars, and Roberto is flung at the foot of the mizzenmast.