| rowlock | A contrivance or arrangement serving as a fulcrum for an oar in rowing. It consists sometimes of a notch in the gunwale of a boat, sometimes of a pair of pins between which the oar rests on the edge of the gunwale, sometimes of a single pin passing through the oar, or of a metal fork or stirrup pivoted in the gunwale and suporting the oar. Origin: For oarlock; AS. Rloc, where the second part is skin to G. Loch a hole, E. Lock a fastening. See Oar, and Lock. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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