▪ I. sinnet
(ˈsɪnɛt)
Also 7 sinnett, sinnit, 8–9 sinnate, 9 cinnet. Cf. sennit.
[A nautical term of obscure origin.]
A kind of flat braided cordage formed by pleating together several strands of rope-yarn, coarse hemp, grass, or other fibrous material.
| 1611 Cotgr., Trene, a threefold rope, cord, string, or twist, called by Marriners, a Sinnet. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. v. 25 Sinnet is a string made of rope yarne commonly of two, foure, six, eight or nine strings platted in three parts, which being beat flat they use to sarue ropes or Mats. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 28 If he have but Hands enough to Furl, Rief, and make Sinnate. 1840 R. H. Dana Bef. Mast xxvi, The boys..laid up grass into sinnet for the men. 1847 H. Melville Omoo lxxiv, A roll of grass sinnate (of the kind which sailors sew into the frame of their tarpaulins). 1880 J. S. Cooper Coral Lands I. x. 105 They stand about six feet high, the gables being filled in with sinnet. 1884 Turner Samoa 165 Everything is fastened in their ancient style, with cinnet plaited from the fibre of the cocoa-nut husk. Cinnet is likely long to prevail in native canoe and boat-building. |
| attrib. and Comb. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. x. 101 Our sinnet-laid twine would not stand the powerful struggles of the beast. 1894 B. Thomson South Sea Yarns x, A man may make many signs by jerking a sinnet cord which another holds. |
▪ II. sinnet
variant of sennet.