kedge
/kɛdʒ
/verb
(With reference to a boat) move or be moved by hauling in a hawser attached at a distance to a small anchor: [with object]: I kedged the dinghy to the port [no object]: most of the smaller boats had to kedge for a while...
- As at Goshen, these craft, because of the narrowness of the creek, had to be launched sideways, and then were often kedged down the creek to the bay.
- Once we kedged our way off a mud bar on the Mystic River, the silty anchor tossed again and again till our boat glided free.
- In beautiful sunshine and beautiful surroundings we kedged ourselves off and managed to catch the last lock of the day into the swamp.
noun
(also kedge anchor) A small anchor used for kedging.The stern is marked by a small kedge anchor....
- So, equipped with kedge anchors and cable, and adorned in their skin-tight diving gear, they set off.
- The crew had run out the kedge anchor to move the vessel ahead when breaking seas interfered.
Origin
Late 15th century: perhaps a specific use of dialect cadge 'bind, tie'.