bilge
Other forms: bilges; bilged; bilging
The bilge is the lowest part of a ship where the bottom curves up to meet the sides. The water that collects there is also called bilge. Since bilge is dirty and smelly, the word is also slang for “nonsense.”
On a large ship, some water inevitably ends up in the part that’s below the water line, the bilge. Because the bilge tends to sit there for a long time, sloshing around and mixing with oil, chemicals, waste, and cleaning products, it tends to stink. Periodically, the bilge is pumped out so the ship doesn't get too heavy and sink. Bilge is thought to be a variation on bulge, originally "wallet or bag," and later "ship's hull."
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where the sides of the vessel curve in to form the bottomtypes:bilgesin a vessel with two hulls, an enclosed area between the frames at each sidetype of:
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water accumulated in the bilge of a shipsynonyms: bilge water
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take in water at the bilge“the tanker bilged”synonyms: take in watertype of:leakhave an opening that allows light or substances to enter or go out
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cause to leak“the collision bilged the vessel”type of:damageinflict damage upon
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Vocabulary lists containing bilge
International Talk Like A Pirate Day is celebrated on September 19. In the swashbuckling spirit, this list covers words every self-respecting pirate should know: parts of a ship, sailing jargon, terms for pirates, etc. With these words at your command, you can take the whole pirate thing way beyond "arrgh," eyepatches, and annoying birds that perch on your shoulder. For more, check out the full article: Buccaneer, Bilge and Booty: Words Every Self-respecting Pirate Should Know
As you read Elizabeth Bishop's "The Fish," learn this word list. Here are links to lists for texts in Grade 11's Collection 5: To Build a Fire, The Jungle, Food Product Design, The Lowest Animal, Genesis of the Tenement, The Story of an Hour, The Fish