Naut. Forms: 7 kintledge, kinttlidge, 7–8 kintlage, 8 kent(i)lage, 9 kentledge. [Of obscure origin.

1

  ? f. kentle, kental, kintal, QUINTAL + -AGE; cf. dunnage.]

2

  Pig-iron used as permanent ballast, usually laid upon the kelson-plates. Also attrib.

3

1607.  Keeling in Purchas, Pilgrims (1625), III. vi. § 2. 191. Our too great quantitie of kintledge goods, maketh our ship to labour marvellously.

4

1626.  Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Sea-men, 13–4. Ballast, kintlage, canting coynes.

5

1722.  Lond. Gaz., No. 6116/2. The Iron Kentilage from aboard the Carnarvon.

6

1860.  H. Gouger, 2 Yrs. Impris. in Burmah, x. 111–2. Logs of pure silver, shaped like pieces of ship’s kentledge, but, unfortunately for me, wanting the handle with which kentledge is furnished for the convenience of lifting.

7

1892.  Pall Mall Gaz., 3 Oct., 3/2. In order to give the vessel greater stability … nearly one hundred tons of iron pigs or ‘kentledge’ was fitted into the open spaces along the keelson between her frames.

8