GLAIRE. A broadsword or falchion fixed on a pike.
GLANCE. (See [Northern-glance].) Also, a name for anthracite coal.
GLASAG. The Gaelic name of an edible sea-weed of our northern isles.
GLASS. The usual appellation for a telescope (see the old sea song of Lord Howard's capture of Barton the pirate). Also, the familiar term for a barometer. Glass is also used in the plural to denote time-glass on the duration of any action; as, they fought yard-arm and yard-arm three glasses, i.e. three half-hours.—To flog or sweat the half-hour glass. To turn the sand-glass before the sand has quite run out, and thus gaining a few minutes in each half-hour, make the watch too short.—Half-minute and quarter-minute glasses, used to ascertain the rate of the ship's velocity measured by the log; they should be occasionally compared with a good stop watch.—Night-glass. A telescope adapted for viewing objects at night.
GLASS CLEAR? Is the sand out of the upper part? asked previously to turning it, on throwing the log.
GLASSOK. A coast name for the say, seath, or coal-fish.
GLAVE. A light hand-dart. Also, a sword-blade fixed on the end of a pole.
GLAYMORE. A two-handed sword. (See [Claymore].)
GLAZED POWDER. Gunpowder of which the grains, by friction against one another in a barrel worked for the purpose, have acquired a fine polish, sometimes promoted by a minute application of black-lead; reputed to be very slightly weaker than the original, and somewhat less liable to deterioration.
GLEN. An Anglo-Saxon term denoting a dale or deep valley; still in use for a ravine.