Blackwall hitch
- noun
- /ˈblækˌwɔl hɪtʃ/
- Specialized
:
nudo Blackwall
- You must remove the Blackwall hitch as soon as tension is released, or the line will slip.
Examples
-
He tied a Blackwall hitch to secure the sail.
-
When speed was essential, the crew relied on a Blackwall hitch for loading cargo.
-
The sailor used a Blackwall hitch to quickly secure the rope to the crane's hook.
-
The sailor demonstrated how to make a Blackwall hitch.
-
The sailor used a Blackwall hitch to quickly secure the rope to the crane's hook.
-
When speed was essential, the crew relied on a Blackwall hitch for loading cargo.
-
You must remove the Blackwall hitch as soon as tension is released, or the line will slip.
Synonyms
5
4.8
A quick knot that can be tied and untied
1
6.5
A simple knot that holds a rope by looping its end around an object
1
8.5
A knot to fasten a rope to a post that is quick to tie and untie
Surface Forms
Morphology
Blackwall + hitch
The noun 'hitch' directly signals a temporary knot, so a B1 learner who knows that word will infer this is a type of knot. However, 'Blackwall' is a proper name with no compositional meaning, so the precise function or specific usage of this particular hitch (e.g., for a hook, nautical context) cannot be derived from the parts.
Etymology
The knot Blackwall hitch is a simple hitch used to attach a rope to a hook by looping the rope so its own pull holds it in place. Because the loop only holds while there is a strong pull, sailors used it as a quick, 'temporary' way to fasten a line and knew it would 'slip' when the pull stopped.