lubber's point

9.9

A fixed mark on a ship's compass that shows where the ship is going

noun
/ˈlʌbərz pɔɪnt/

Specialized

: punto de rumbo

The helmsman checked the lubber's point to ensure the ship stayed on course.

Examples

When steering the vessel, always align the heading with the lubber's point for accuracy.
A new layer of paint made the lubber's point clearly visible on the compass.
The captain adjusted the sails according to the lubber's point.
Where is the lubber's point on this compass?
The helmsman checked the lubber's point to ensure the ship stayed on course.
When steering the vessel, always align the heading with the lubber's point for accuracy.
A new layer of paint made the lubber's point clearly visible on the compass.

Synonyms

lubber's mark

vslubber's point

Specialized

9.9

A fixed line on a compass that shows the ship's direction

has the same meaning but uses a different traditional name

lubber's line

vslubber's point

Specialized

9.9

A fixed mark on a ship's compass that shows forward direction

has the same meaning but uses a different traditional name

lubber line

vslubber's point

Specialized

9.9

A fixed mark on a ship's compass that shows the direction the ship is pointing

has the same meaning but uses a different traditional name

Surface Forms

lubber's point singular

lubber's points plural

Morphology

lubber's + point

The overall meaning (a fixed compass mark) is specialized maritime jargon and cannot be derived from the parts: 'point' is general but gives no clue to a compass mark, and 'lubber's' is archaic/technical and unknown to a B1 learner. Because the key headword is obscure and the sense is domain-specific rather than compositional, the expression is not predictable from its constituents.

Etymology

Lubber's point may come from when lubber meant a clumsy or new sailor, and crews put a simple fixed point on the compass so a beginner could follow the ship's 'direction'. So, lubber's point now means the fixed mark that shows the ship's 'heading'.