2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Hawse  \Hawse\  (h[add]z  or  h[add]s;  277),  n.  [Orig.  a  hawse  hole, 
  or  hole  in  the  ship;  cf  Icel.  hals,  h[=a]ls,  neck,  part  of 
  the  bows  of  a  ship,  AS  heals  neck.  See  {Collar},  and  cf 
  {Halse}  to  embrace.] 
  1.  A  hawse  hole.  --Harris. 
 
  2.  (Naut.) 
  a  The  situation  of  the  cables  when  a  vessel  is  moored 
  with  two  anchors,  one  on  the  starboard,  the  other  on 
  the  port  bow. 
  b  The  distance  ahead  to  which  the  cables  usually  extend; 
  as  the  ship  has  a  clear  or  open  hawse,  or  a  foul 
  hawse;  to  anchor  in  our  hawse,  or  athwart  hawse. 
  c  That  part  of  a  vessel's  bow  in  which  are  the  hawse 
  holes  for  the  cables. 
 
  {Athwart  hawse}.  See  under  {Athwart}. 
 
  {Foul  hawse},  a  hawse  in  which  the  cables  cross  each  other 
  or  are  twisted  together. 
 
  {Hawse  block},  a  block  used  to  stop  up  a  hawse  hole  at  sea; 
  --  called  also  {hawse  plug}. 
 
  {Hawse  hole},  a  hole  in  the  bow  of  a  ship,  through  which  a 
  cable  passes. 
 
  {Hawse  piece},  one  of  the  foremost  timbers  of  a  ship,  through 
  which  the  hawse  hole  is  cut. 
 
  {Hawse  plug}.  Same  as  {Hawse  block}  (above). 
 
  {To  come  in  at  the  hawse  holes},  to  enter  the  naval  service 
  at  the  lowest  grade.  [Cant] 
 
  {To  freshen  the  hawse},  to  veer  out  a  little  more  cable  and 
  bring  the  chafe  and  strain  on  another  part 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  hawse 
  n  :  anchor  rope  passes  through  this  hole  [syn:  {hawsehole},  {hawsepipe}] 

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