ROUND SHOT. The cast-iron balls fitting the bores of their respective guns, as distinguished from grape or other shot.
ROUNDS OF THE GALLEY. The opposite of what is termed Coventry; for it is figurative of a man incurring the expressed scorn of his shipmates.
ROUND SPLICE. One which hardly shows itself, from the neatness of the rope and the skill of the splicer. Properly a long splice.
ROUND STERN. The segmental stern, the bottom and wales of which are wrought quite aft, and unite in the stern-post: it is now used in our navy, thus securing an after battery for the ship. It had long obtained in the Danish marine.
ROUND THE FLEET. A diabolical punishment, by which a man, lashed to a frame on a long-boat, was towed alongside of every ship in a fleet, to receive a certain number of lashes by sentence of court-martial.
ROUND-TO, To. To bring to, or haul to the wind by means of the helm. To go round, is to tack or wear.
ROUND-TOP. A name which has obtained for modern tops, from the shape of the ancient ones. (See [Top].)
ROUND-TURN in the Hawse. A term implying the situation of the two cables of a ship, which, when moored, has swung the wrong way three times successively; if after this she come round till her head is directed the same way as at first, this makes a round turn and elbow. A round turn is also the passing a rope completely round a timber-head, or any proper thing, in order to hold on. (See [Holding-on].) Also, to pass a rope over a belaying pin. Also, the bending of any timber or plank upwards, but especially the beams which support the deck, and curve upwards towards the middle of the deck. This is for the purpose of strength, and for the convenience of the run of water to the scuppers.—To round up a fall or tackle, is to gather in the slack; the reverse of overhaul.
ROUND UP OF THE TRANSOMS. That segment of a circle to which they are sided, or of beams to which they are moulded.
ROUNDURE. An old English word for circle.