sb. Naut. [See BITT.] An extra turn of the cable about the bitts in bad weather. Also v. trans., to give this extra turn to (the cable).
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Weather-bit, a turn of the cable of a ship about the end of the windlass, without the knight-heads. It is used to check the cable, in order to slacken it gradually out of the ship, in tempestuous weather, or when the ship rides in a strong current.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, xxiv. Weather-bit your chain and loose the topsails!
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Weather-bitt, is that which holds the weather-cable when the ship is moored.
1883. Man. Seamanship for Boys, 191. To weather bitt a cable is to take another turn round the bitt end.
1900. Capt. Joshua Slocum, in Century Mag., Feb., 600/2. I now moor ship, weather-bitt cables, and leave the sloop Spray, for the present, safe in port.
