BOUNCER. A gun which kicks violently when fired.
BOUND. Destined for a particular service. Intended voyage to a place.--_Ice-bound._ Totally surrounded with ice.--_Tide-bound_, or be-neaped. (_See_ NEAPED.)--_Wind-bound._ Prevented from sailing by contrary wind.--_Where are you bound to?_--_i.e._ To what place are you going?--_Bound on a cruise._ A corruption of the old word _bowne_, which is still in use on the northern coasts, and means to make ready, to prepare.
BOUNTY. A sum of money given by government, authorized by act of parliament or royal proclamation, to men who voluntarily enter into the army or navy; and the widow of such volunteer seaman killed or drowned in the service was entitled to a bounty equal to a year's pay.
BOUNTY-BOATS. Those which fished under the encouragement of a bounty from government.
BOUNTY-LIST. A register of all persons who have received the bounty to which they are entitled after having passed three musters in the service.
BOURSE. A place where merchants congregate. An exchange.
BOUT. A turn, trial, or round. An attack of illness; a convivial meeting.--_'Bout ship_, the brief order for "about ship."
BOW. The fore-end of a ship or boat; being the rounding part of a vessel forward, beginning on both sides where the planks arch inwards, and terminating where they close, at the rabbet of the stem or prow, being larboard or starboard from that division. A bold bow is broad and round; a lean bow, narrow and thin.--_On the bow._ An arc of the horizon (not exceeding 45°) comprehended between some distant object and that point of the compass which is right ahead. Four points on either bow is met by four points before the beam.
BOW. An astronomical instrument formerly used at sea, consisting of only one large graduated arc of 90°, three vanes, and a shank or staff. Also the bow of yew, a weapon of our early fleets.
BOW. _She bows to the breeze_; when the sails belly out full, and the ship inclines and goes ahead, pitching or bowing over the blue waves.
BOW-BYE. The situation of a ship when, in stays, she falls back off the wind again, and gets into irons, which demands practical seamanship for her extrication. This was deemed a lubberly act in our fleets of old.