gunwale
noun
gun·wale ˈgə-nᵊl 
variants or less commonly gunnel
: the upper edge of a ship's or boat's side
Phrases
to the gunwales : as fully as possible
The doorbell rang, and Flanagan let in his wife, who was loaded to the gunwales with groceries.
Whitney Balliett
Whitney Balliett
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The weight of that many passengers caused rising waves to lap at the tops of the gunwale — the lone protector against catastrophic swamping. Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2021 But if the cormorants are being hunted, what explains the presence on each boat of an unperturbed bird perched on the gunwale? Washington Post, 23 June 2021 On a recent visit, shipwright Matteo Tamassia, whose gondolas can take a month or more to construct, discussed an improvement to the gunwale with a fellow boat-maker who dropped by. Avedis Hadjian, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2021 Drill and screw the snap studs onto the inboard side of the gunwale. Ryan Chelius, Field & Stream, 18 Feb. 2021 The man in short sleeves bent over the Lazora’s starboard gunwale and vomited red fluid. New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021 Some boats can’t be fitted with rod holder mounts that fit flush against a gunwale or transom. The Editors, Field & Stream, 26 Feb. 2020 At this point another boat glided by, its gunwales lined with tourists staring into the cameras. Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019 Near the bow Marina Antonopoulou, with Emirates Nature-World Wildlife Fund, perches on the gunwale. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 See More
Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2021 But if the cormorants are being hunted, what explains the presence on each boat of an unperturbed bird perched on the gunwale? Washington Post, 23 June 2021 On a recent visit, shipwright Matteo Tamassia, whose gondolas can take a month or more to construct, discussed an improvement to the gunwale with a fellow boat-maker who dropped by. Avedis Hadjian, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 June 2021 Drill and screw the snap studs onto the inboard side of the gunwale. Ryan Chelius, Field & Stream, 18 Feb. 2021 The man in short sleeves bent over the Lazora’s starboard gunwale and vomited red fluid. New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021 Some boats can’t be fitted with rod holder mounts that fit flush against a gunwale or transom. The Editors, Field & Stream, 26 Feb. 2020 At this point another boat glided by, its gunwales lined with tourists staring into the cameras. Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019 Near the bow Marina Antonopoulou, with Emirates Nature-World Wildlife Fund, perches on the gunwale. Craig Welch, National Geographic, 20 Sep. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English gonne-wale, from gonne gun + wale entry 1; from its former use as a support for guns
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
gunwale
noun
gun·wale ˈgə-nᵊl
: the upper edge of a ship's side