? Obs. Also 8 leagre, 8–9 leager, 9 legar. [? ad. Du. ligger a tun, f. liggen to LIE v.1 Cf. G. leger (also legger, wasserlegger) a measure for arrack, pl. fresh-water casks on board ship.] a. A certain measure of arrack. b. A cask of wine or oil, ? of a particular size. c. Naut. (See quot. 1867.)
1683. in Hacke’s Collect. Voy. (1699), I. 37. We had gotten in 36 Liggers of Water already.
1712. W. Rogers, Voy., 398. Half a Leaguer of Spelman’s Neep, or the best sort of Arrack.
1730. Capt. W. Wriglesworth, MS. Log-bk. of the ‘Lyell,’ 15 Aug. Started 3 Leagers of Arrack belonging to the Ships Crew, into 3 Butts and a small Cask.
1772–84. Cook, Voy. (1790), I. 362. The provisions for which the French contracted this year … one thousand two hundred leagers of wine.
1789. G. Keate, Pelew Isl., 83. They also discovered a cask of Arrack … it was half a Leaguer.
1800. Naval Chron., III. 66. The largest casks are called leagers, and are of the following dimensions: Length … 4 ft. 6 in., Diameter of Bouge … 3 ft., Diameter of Chine … 2 ft. 5 in. Ibid. (1802), VIII. 82. His object was to purchase 200 legars, to be filled with water … for the use of the cattle.
1812. J. Smyth, Pract. of Customs (1821), 169. Butts and Leaguers.
1837. Whittock, Bk. Trades (1842), 348. [Oilmen] Both parties require roomy outskirt premises for their stores; the former for his casks and his ‘leagers.’
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Leaguers, the longest water-casks, stowed near the kelson, of 159 English imperial gallons each. Before the invention of water-tanks, leaguers composed the whole ground tier of casks in men-of-war.
