The Collaborative International Dictionary
Stern \Stern\, a. Being in the stern, or being astern; as, the stern davits. Stern board (Naut.), a going or falling astern; a loss of way in making a tack; as, to make a stern board. See Board, n., 8 (b) . Stern chase. (Naut.)
See under Chase, n.
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A stern chaser.
Stern chaser (Naut.), a cannon placed in a ship's stern, pointing backward, and intended to annoy a ship that is in pursuit.
Stern fast (Naut.), a rope used to confine the stern of a ship or other vessel, as to a wharf or buoy.
Stern frame (Naut.), the framework of timber forms the stern of a ship.
Stern knee. See Sternson.
Stern port (Naut.), a port, or opening, in the stern of a ship.
Stern sheets (Naut.), that part of an open boat which is between the stern and the aftmost seat of the rowers, -- usually furnished with seats for passengers.
Stern wheel, a paddle wheel attached to the stern of the steamboat which it propels.
Usage examples of "stern sheets".
Hornblower scrambled into the stern sheets, embarrassed by hat and gloves and sword and boat cloak, and he barked an order to Hewitt.
Crouched in the stern sheets, shivering and wet to the skin, I caught Nelson's eye as I turned my back to the spray.
The boat shoved off and Jackson looked like a lancer in the stern sheets, tiller in one hand and in the other a boarding pike to which a white cloth had been lashed as a flag of truce.
Ramage was curled up on the stern sheets, arms above his head and using his hands as a pillow.
And I am confident that the officer who will one day be appointed to make a thorough survey of this coast will be amazed at the accuracy of Bligh's chart, drawn with only his sextant, a compass, and a rude log to aid him, in the stern sheets of a twenty-three-foot boat, sailing fast to the north with scarcely a halt.
He stood at the gangway, watching the gig pull away and head for Ford Island with his tall son standing arms akimbo in the stern sheets, steady despite the choppy waves.