dog-vane Naut.
1. ‘A small vane made of thread, cork, and feathers, or buntin, placed on the weather gunwale to show the direction of the wind’ (Sailor's Word-bk.).
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Dog-Vane, a small light vane, formed of a piece of pack-thread about two feet in length. 1829 Marryat F. Mildmay xiv, His head turned like a dog-vane in a gale of wind. 1859 O. W. Holmes Prof. Breakf.-t. i, The fool's judgment is a dog-vane that turns with a breath. |
| attrib. 1825 H. B. Gascoigne Nav. Fame 51 The Dog-vane Staff the Quartermaster moves, The wind upon the Larboard Quarter proves. |
2. ‘Familiarly applied to a cockade.’
| 1785 Grose Dict. Vulgar Tongue, Dowse your dog vane, take the cockade out of your hat. a 1814 Dibdin Bill Bobstay, There's Nipcheese, the purser,..The eddy of Fortune stands on a stiff breeze in, And mounts, fierce as fire, a dog-vane in his hat. |