Chiefly Naut. [f. LASH v.2 + -ING1.] The action of LASH v.2; the action of fastening any movable body with a cord. Hence concr. the cord used for this purpose.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. ii. 20. Loose the Lachings, we will sheer off our Ship.
1729. Capt. W. Wriglesworth, MS. Log-bk. of the ‘Lyell,’ 20 Oct. At 8 cast off our Lashings and made Sail.
1758. J. Blake, Plan Mar. Syst., 6. A hammock, with a lashing, shall be delivered him, and a birth assigned to hang it in.
1789. G. Keate, Pelew Isl., 4. In the afternoon the lashings of the booms broke.
1834–47. J. S. Macaulay, Field Fortif. (1851), 139. The … side-rails are secured with rack lashings to the extreme balks.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, III. 220. It was impossible to stand at the helm without the assistance of lashings.
1869. Troyte, Change Ringing, 5. It is well to keep lashings ready for all the bells in a tower, as practices with the clappers lashed save much annoyance to the people in the neighbourhood.
1872–6. Voyle & Stevenson, Milit. Dict., Lashings used in mounting and dismounting guns are of different dimensions.
Comb. 1828. J. M. Spearman, Brit. Gunner (ed. 2), 19. Lashing Rope.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Lashing-eyes, fittings for lower stays, block-strops, &c., by loops made in the ends of ropes, for a lashing to be rove through to secure them.
1884. Knight, Dict. Mech., Suppl., Lashing knot, A form of bend.
