Naut. Obs. (exc. arch.). Also 6 spone, 7 spoone, spoune. [Of obscure origin. See also SROOM v.]
1. intr. In sailing, to run before the wind or sea; to scud. Also with away. (Common in 17th cent.)
1576. in Hakluyt’s Voy. (1904), VII. 206. We had so much wind that we spooned after the sea.
1588. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 301. They sponed before the winde with their foresayle halfe mast hie.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. 40. If she will neither Try nor Hull, Then Spoone, that is, put her right before the wind.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. ii. 17. The Ship lies very broad off; it is better spooning before the Sea, than trying or hulling.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, IV. xviii. (1737), 75. The next day we spied nine Sail that came spooning before the Wind.
1722. De Foe, Col. Jack, xviii. (1840), 298. We went spooning away large with the wind for one of the islands.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, II. i. [copying quot. 1669], The ship lay very broad off, so we thought it better spooning before the sea, than trying or hulling.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Spooning. By the explanation of this term in our dictionaries, it seems formerly to have signified that movement in navigation, which is now called scudding. Be that as it may, there is at present no such phrase in our sea-language.
[1886. R. F. Burton, Arab. Nts. (abr. ed.), I. 151. We ceased not spooning before a fair wind till we had exchanged the sea of peril for the seas of safety.]
fig. 1671. Crowne, Juliana, V. Whilst you set sail … And leave this floating world behind. Till spooning gently on,… You turn an angel unaware.
2. To move rapidly on or upon another vessel.
1608. Admiralty Crt. Exam. 40, 20 Dec. The sea going high forced the Scottishe shipp to Spoone on borde the Elizabeth. Ibid., [It] came spooning uppon the Elizabeth.
3. trans. (See quot.)
c. 1635. Capt. N. Boteler, Dial. Sea Services (1685), 293. They use to set the Fore-sail to make her the steddier, and this is called spooning the Fore-sail.
