ˈguest-rope, ˈguess-rope
Also 7 gest-, ghest-rope.
[The first element is of doubtful form and origin; it has been referred to guest n. (‘a rope to assist guests in coming on board’; but this suits sense 2 only) and to guess n. (cf. quot. 1862 s.v. guess-warp).]
1. A second rope, fastened to a boat in tow, to keep it steady.
| 1623 J. Taylor (Water P.) Praise Hemp-seed 10 The boighrope, boatrope, guestrope [etc.]. 1626 Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Sea-men 14 The boy rope, guest rope, the cat rope [etc.]. 1627 ― Seaman's Gram. vi. 28 The Ghest rope is added to the Boat rope when shee is towed at the ships sterne, to keepe her from shearing. 1644 H. Manwayring Sea-man's Dict. s.v. Bluff, The Roape by which it [a long boate] is towed at the Ships sterne, is called the Boate roape, to which, to keepe the boate from sheering, we adde an other, which we call a Gest-roape. 1711 W. Sutherland Shipbuilder's Assist. 113 The Guess-rope, which is also made fast to the Boat to keep her directly in the Wake of the Ship. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780), Hale à bord, the boat-rope, or guess-rope of a boat's moorings. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech., Guest-rope, the rope by which a boat is kept steady while in tow. |
2. A stout rope slung outside a vessel fore and aft, formerly also fastened to the end of a boom, to give a hold for boats coming alongside.
| 1794 Rigging & Seamanship I. 172 Guest-rope is fastened to an eye-bolt in the ship's side, and to the outer end of a boom projecting from the ship's side, by guys, to keep the boats clear off the sides. 1848 G. Biddlecombe Art Rigging 27. |