Glossary

Becket Bend	A bend used for uniting two ends of a rope or the end of a rope to an eye. Jams under tension but will not slip.
Bend	A knot which ties two ropes' ends together
Bight	Any slack part of a rope between the ends
Bind	To jam or to seize
Bitter end	The last part of a rope that is doing useful work.
Braid	To plait or interweave cordage.
Bridle	Any span of rope with its ends secure.
Cable laid	Consists of three ropes laid up left-handed where the strands are laid up right-handed. Also known as hawser laid.
Capsize	To change its form under stress
Cast	To tie a knot
Chafe	To fray
Clinch	A bend made by forming a bight or eye by seizing the end to its own part.
Coil	A series of flakes in a rope
Cord	Several yarns hard-twisted together
Cordage	All twisted rope
Core	A small rope run through the center of a larger rope.
Cow's tail	The frayed end of a rope.
Crown	This is made by tucking the strands of a rope's end together to prevent unraveling.
End	The termination of a rope
End seizing	A round seizing around the ends of a rope.
Fair leader	Lines used to lead other lines in a certain direction.
Fake	A coil of rope where the coils overlap and the rope can be runout.
Fibre	The smallest component of a rope.
Fid	A long tapered cone
Finish off	to complete the knot
Flake	A single turn or tier of turns in a coil
Fray	To unravel
Gooseneck	A bight made in the standing part of a rope when tying a bowline.
Guy	Any rope used to steady an object.
Halter	The rope used to hitch an animal
Halyard	Rope and tackle used to hoist sails or flags.
Hard knot	Any knot that jams
Hard laid	Tightly twisted rope
Hawser	A rope used for towing or mooring
Hawser laid	Left handed rope consisting of nine strands laid up in the form of three, three stranded right handed ropes.
Heaving line	A light line usually having a monkey's fist on its end. It is thrown from one place to another for the purpose of hauling a heavier line.
Hitch	A knot that secures a rope to another object
Jam	To draw up into a tight knot that is hard to untie
Kink	A twist in a rope.
Lanyard	Handles for various things usually decorative
Lariat	Rope used for roping animals
Lash	To bind two or more objects together
Lashing	A binding of small stuff used to secure one line to another.
Lay	The direction of twist in a rope
Lead	The direction of a strand in a rope
Lead line	A line used for sounding the depth of water under a vessel.
Line	A common name for various cordage
Loop	Another name for bight.
Make fast	To secure a rope with a hitch
Marlingspike	A cone shaped tool used for working rope
Marry	Binding two ropes together side by side or end to end, usually as a temporary measure.
Middle	Laying two ends of a rope together to determine the middle
Noose	A loop which passes around its own standing part
Painter	A short piece of rope tied to the bow of a boat, used to tie off the boat.
Reeve	To pass the end of a rope through any hole
Render	To slacken
Rope	Anything in cordage over one inch in circumference
Rope yarn	A single thread from the strand of a rope
Seize	Bind with small stuff, usually to bind two ropes together or one rope to an object.
Seizing	A lashing of small stuff
Sinnet	Braided rope
Slack	The part of a rope between secured ends that is hanging loose.
Small stuff	Rope that is under one inch in circumference
Snare	A Noose for catching animals
Snub	To check a line usually with a round turn
Spill	To untie accidentally
Splice	To secure two ropes or parts or rope together by interweaving
Standing part	The inactive part of a rope
Stop	To seize or lash.
Stopper	A short rope with a knot at one end
Stopper knot	Any terminal knot for preventing unreeving
Strand	Two or more yarns twisted together
Stranded	A rope that has its strands parted.
Taut	Tight
Thread	Small stuff made into strands.
Tie	To make a knot.
Tier	One range of turns in a coil
Turn	One round of rope on a pin or cleat
Unlay	To open a rope
Whip	To bind the end of a rope to prevent fraying
Whipping	The lashings on the end of a rope or the small stuff used for whipping.
Yarn	A number of fibers twisted together