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Glite Dictionary
forepeak

forepeak

1 9.4
A small space at the front of a boat for storing ropes, tools, and weight to balance the boat
  • noun
  • /ˈfɔrˌpik/
  • Specialized
translation icon : proa
  • During the inspection, the captain noted that the forepeak was filled with essential emergency supplies.

Examples

  • Water in the forepeak.

    A Night to Remember (1958)

  • The crew stored extra sails and ropes in the forepeak for easy access during the voyage.

  • Water 14 feet above the keel in 10 minutes, in the forepeak, in all three holds and in boiler room six.

    Titanic (1997)

  • No damage above the waterline, sir, but the forepeak is flooded to the orlop deck.

    Titanic (1953)

  • We worked for a week to excavate the forward-most confines of the bow, an area known as the "forepeak," a tight locker where the ship's boatswain had kept his supplies of paint, tar, spare rigging, and tools.

    Academic text (2011)

  • After loading the equipment, they secured everything tightly in the forepeak before setting sail.

Synonyms

fore
vsforepeak
28 8.3

The front part of a ship or plane

is a specific enclosed compartment at the very front for storage or ballast
prow
vsforepeak
7 7.4

The pointed front part of a ship or boat

is an enclosed compartment at the very front used for storage and ballast
forehold
vsforepeak
  • Specialized
1 9.7

A storage space near the front of a ship for cargo

is the compartment at the extreme front used for equipment, ballast, or storage
forebody
vsforepeak
  • Specialized
8.4

The front part of a ship, plane, or other vehicle

is an internal storage space at the extreme front of a vessel for equipment

Surface Forms

forepeak singular
forepeaks plural

Morphology

forepeak = fore + peak (semi-transparent) = fore + peak

The components 'fore' and 'peak' are recognizable, but 'peak' here has a specialized nautical sense (a compartment near the bow), so the meaning may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

The word forepeak combines fore- meaning 'front' and peak meaning 'point' like a mountain, so the forepeak is the pointed front space of a ship. That's why it is the place where the crew store ropes, tools, and other supplies.