CERTIFICATE. A voucher or written testimony to the truth of any statement. An attestation of servitude, signed by the captain, is given with all discharges of men in the navy.
CERTIFY, To. To bear official testimony.
CESSATION OF ARMS. A discontinuation or suspension of hostilities.
CETINE. An ancient large float, says Hesychius, "in bulk like a whale;" derived from cetus, which applied both to whale and ship.
C.G. [Coast-guard] (which see).
CHAD. A fish like a small bream, abundant on the south-west coasts of England.
CHAFE, To. To rub or fret the surface of a cable, mast, or yard, by the motion of the ship or otherwise, against anything that is too hard for it.—Chafing-gear, is the stuff put upon the rigging and spars to prevent their being chafed.
CHAFFER. A name for a whale or grampus of the northern seas.
CHAFING-CHEEKS. A name given by old sailors to the sheaves instead of blocks on the yards in light-rigged vessels.
CHAFING-GEAR. Mats, sinnet, spun-yarn, strands, battens, scotchmen, and the like.