Definition of Bilge

1. Noun. Water accumulated in the bilge of a ship.

Exact synonyms: Bilge Water
Generic synonyms: H2o, Water
Derivative terms: Bilgy

2. Verb. Cause to leak. "The collision bilged the vessel"
Causes: Take In Water
Generic synonyms: Damage

3. Noun. Where the sides of the vessel curve in to form the bottom.
Specialized synonyms: Bilges
Group relationships: Vessel, Watercraft
Generic synonyms: Bottom, Underside, Undersurface

4. Verb. Take in water at the bilge. "The tanker bilged"
Exact synonyms: Take In Water
Generic synonyms: Leak

Definition of Bilge

1. n. The protuberant part of a cask, which is usually in the middle.

2. v. i. To suffer a fracture in the bilge; to spring a leak by a fracture in the bilge.

3. v. t. To fracture the bilge of, or stave in the bottom of (a ship or other vessel).

Definition of Bilge

1. Noun. (nautical) The rounded portion of a ship's hull, forming a transition between the bottom and the sides. ¹

2. Noun. (nautical) The lowest inner part of a ship's hull. ¹

3. Noun. The water accumulated in the bilge, the bilge water. ¹

4. Noun. (slang uncountable) Stupid talk or writing; nonsense. ¹

5. Noun. The bulging part of a barrel or cask. ¹

6. Verb. (context: nautical intransitive) To spring a leak in the bilge. ¹

7. Verb. (intransitive) To bulge or swell. ¹

8. Verb. (context: nautical transitive) To break open the bilge(s) of. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Bilge

1. to spring a leak [v BILGED, BILGING, BILGES]

Medical Definition of Bilge

1. 1. The protuberant part of a cask, which is usually in the middle. 2. That part of a ship's hull or bottom which is broadest and most nearly flat, and on which she would rest if aground. 3. Bilge water. Bilge free, water which collects in the bilge or bottom of a ship or other vessel. It is often allowed to remain till it becomes very offensive. Bilge ways, the timbers which support the cradle of a ship upon the ways, and which slide upon the launching ways in launching the vessel. Origin: A different orthography of bulge, of same origin as belly. Cf. Belly, Bulge. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Bilge

bile salt sulfatase
bile salts
bile soap
bile solubility test
bile thrombus
bilection
bilections
bileful
bilepton
bileptons
biles
bilestone
bilestones
bilevel
bilevels
bilge (current term)
bilge keel
bilge keels
bilge pump
bilge pumps
bilge water
bilge well
bilged
bilges
bilgewater
bilgewaters
bilgier
bilgiest
bilging
bilgy

Literary usage of Bilge

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Sailor's Word-book: An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, Including by William Henry Smyth (1867)
"bilge is also the largest circumference of a cask, or that which extends round by the ... bilge-FREE. A cask so stowed as to rest entirely on its beds, ..."

2. Text-book of hygiene: A Comprehensive Treatise on the Principles and by George Henry Rohé, Albert Robin (1908)
"In dealing with the bilge, it is by no means an indifferent matter whether the contents of the bilge are pumped out into the sea-water before being ..."

3. A Manual of Marine Engineering: Comprising the Designing, Construction, and by Albert Edward Seaton (1890)
"The Board of Trade requires that one bilge pump shall be arranged to draw water from the sea, and pump it on deck in case of fire. When this is done, ..."

4. A Manual of Naval Architecture for Use of Officers of the Royal Navy by Sir William Henry White (1900)
"bilge-keels are the most important appendages in common use, and it may be of ... The evidence in favour of the use of bilge-keels is now unquestionable, ..."

5. Practical Shipbuilding: A Treatise on the Structural Design and Building of by A. Campbell Holms (1918)
"The need for bilge keels occurs principally when a vessel is in ballast, for she is then ... just under this condition that bilge keels are most effective. ..."

6. Nature by Nature Publishing Group, Norman Lockyer (1879)
"The effect of bilge-keels in extinguishing rolling was clearly shown by Mr. ... Without bilge-keels the model performed 31^ complete oscillations before ..."

7. Transactions by England Society of Engineers (London (1877)
"bilge-keels were applied to the 'Tasmania' about thirteen or fourteen years ... Before the bilge-keels were put on, passengers used to avoid the vessel on ..."

Other Resources:

Search for Bilge on Dictionary.com!Search for Bilge on Thesaurus.com!Search for Bilge on Google!Search for Bilge on Wikipedia!

Search