bowline

bow·line | \ ˈbō-lən

How to pronounce bowline (audio)

, -ˌlīn \

Definition of bowline

1 : a rope used to keep the weather edge of a square sail taut forward

2 : a knot used to form a loop that neither slips nor jams — see knot illustration

Examples of bowline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web To make your bow string, tie loops into both ends of the 550 cord, using bowline knots or a similar fastening. — Tim Macwelch, Outdoor Life, "9 Tips For Building a Bow (and Arrows) in a Survival Situation," 25 June 2020 To teach me the bowline, DeMille used a little story of a rabbit and a tree. — The Editors, Outside Online, "How to Chill Out and Relax Already," 1 Jan. 2020 The bowline creates a loop at the end of a rope that cannot shrink or expand. — Tim Macwelch, Outdoor Life, "Essential Knots: How to Tie the 20 Knots You Need to Know," 2 Apr. 2019 Connect with the folks at Southernmost Sailing School, who can show you your bowline from your clove hitch and take you out to see the dolphins. — The Editors, Outside Online, "The Best Road Trips in North America," 10 June 2019 The bowline knot, a simple and elegant configuration, never slips or comes loose under any strain or load. — Monica Corcoran Harel, Marie Claire, "I Signed My Husband Up for a Couples Survival Course," 23 May 2017 Knots are useful in everyday life and specific kinds of knots are suitable for specific tasks — bowlines, cleats, hitches and nooses all hold things together in different ways. — Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, "Eight Crossings and 192 Atoms Long: the Tightest Knot Ever Tied," 16 Jan. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bowline.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Learn More about bowline

Dictionary Entries near bowline

bowline cringle

bowline on a bight

Statistics for bowline

Last Updated

7 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Bowline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowline. Accessed 11 Jul. 2020.

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