POOL. Is distinguished from a pond, in being filled by springs or running water. Also, a pwll or port.
POOP. [From the Latin puppis.] The aftermost and highest part of a large ship's hull. Also, a deck raised over the after-part of a spar-deck, sometimes called the round-house. A frigate has no poop, but is said to be pooped when a wave strikes the stern and washes on board.
POOPING, or being Pooped. The breaking of a heavy sea over the stern or quarter of a boat or vessel when she scuds before the wind in a gale, which is extremely dangerous, especially if deeply laden.
POOP-LANTERN. A light carried by admirals to denote the flag-ship by night.
POOP-NETTING. See [Hammock-nettings].
POOP-RAILS. The stanchions and rail-work in front of the poop. (See [Breast-work] and [Fife-rails].)
POOP-ROYAL. A short deck or platform placed over the aftmost part of the poop in the largest of the French and Spanish men-of-war, and serving as a cabin for their masters and pilots. This is the topgallant-poop of our shipwrights, and the former round-house cabin of our merchant vessels.
POOR JOHN. Hake-fish salted and dried, as well as dried stock-fish, and bad bacalao, or cod, equally cheap and coarse. Shakspeare mentions it in Romeo and Juliet.
POPLAR. The tree which furnishes charcoal for the manufacture of gunpowder.
POPLER. An old name for a sea-gull.