Hawse

A vessel rides to a hawse when she has her two bow anchors down; the surface of the water just ahead of the vessel; clear hawse or open hawse means that there is no cross in the cables; athwart hawse means across the line of the vessel's keel just in advance of the vessel; to freshen the hawse is to veer out or heave in a little cable so as to bring the strain or chafe an another part. (See Mooring Swivel.)