The Sailor's Word-Book / An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc.

by W. H. Smyth

TEETH. A name for the guns in a ship.

TEE-TOTALLER. A very old and general amplification of totally, recently borrowed from sea diction to mark a class who wholly abstain from alcoholic drinks.

TELEGRAPH, To. To convey intelligence to a distance, through the medium of signals.

TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. All those which are not visible to the unassisted eye.

TELL OFF, To. To divide a body of men into divisions and subdivisions, preparatory to a special service.

TELL-TALE. A compass hanging face downwards from the beams in the cabin, showing the position of the vessel's head. Also, an index in front of the wheel to show the position of the tiller.

TELL-TALE SHAKE. The shake of a rope from aloft to denote that it wants letting go.

TELL THAT TO THE MARINES! A sailor's exclamation when an improbable story is related to him.

TEMOINS. See [Witnesses].

TEMPEST. A word not much used by seamen. It is, however, synonymous with storm, gales, &c. (See [Storms].)