Cathead

Quick meaning: Cathead is a noun meaning A decorative element at the end of such a timber that often depicts a cat's head.

Meaning

A decorative element at the end of such a timber that often depicts a cat's head.

More Meanings

1. (UK, dialectal) A nodule of ironstone containing fossil remains.
2. (US) Ellipsis of cathead biscuit (“a large fluffy biscuit, typically served with gravy”).
3. (transitive, nautical) Synonym of cat (“to hoist (an anchor) so that it hangs at the cathead (noun sense 1.1)”)
4. A heavy piece of timber projecting somewhat horizontally from each side of the bow of a ship on which an anchor is raised or lowered, and secured when not used, from its stock end.
5. (technology, chiefly mining) A (small) capstan (“vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a spindle, used to apply force to cables, ropes, etc.”) or windlass (“type of winch”) forming part of hoisting machinery.

Example Sentences

The cat-heads had burned away, and the two red-hot anchors had gone to the bottom, tearing out after them two hundred fathom of red-hot chain.

[T]he whole canvass of the ship was loosed, and with the greatest rapidity possible, everything was sheeted home and hoisted up, the anchor tripped and catheaded, and the ship under headway.

"Hurrah, for the last time," said the mate; and the anchor came to the cat-head to the tune of "Time for us to go," with a loud chorus. Everything was done quick, as though it were for the last time.

The trick to eating catheads was to get the butter on them before they got cold—then they were delicious. When, unluckily, they were allowed to get cold, they tended to a gooeyness, not unlike a wad of tired gum.

Word Forms

• catheads
• cat-head
• catheading
• catheaded

Synonyms for cathead

Depending on context, synonyms include cat.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include starboard, cat-block, hook, catharpin, catshank, pick.

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