Naut. [? a corruption of F. lumière hole, perforation (lit. ‘light’), used Naut. in the same application.]
1. One of a series of holes cut through the floor-timbers on each side of the keelson to form a passage for water to the pump-well.
1626, 1711, etc. [see limber-hole, -board in 2].
1729. Capt. W. Wriglesworth, MS. Log-bk of the ‘Lyell,’ 6 Sept., Cleared the Limbers in the Forehold.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 63. See the limbers are clear, and limber boards shipped.
1898. F. T. Bullen, Cruise ‘Cachalot,’ 326. The ship … never made a drop of water more than just sufficient to sweeten the limbers.
2. attrib. in spec. combinations: limber-board (see quots.); limber-chain, a chain used like a limber-rope (Webster, 1864); limber-hole Naut. = sense 1; limber-passage Naut., the passage or channel formed by the limber-strakes on each side of the keelson; limber-rope Naut., a rope passing through the limber-holes, by which they may be cleared of dirt; limber-strake (or -streak) Naut. (see quots. and STRAKE); limber-tar (see quot.).
1711. W. Sutherland, Shipbuild. Assist., 70. One Strake next the *Limber Boards.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Limber-boards, short pieces of plank, which form a part of the ceiling, or lining of a ship’s floor, close to the kelson, and immediately above the limbers. They are … removed, when it becomes necessary to … clear the limber-holes of any filth,… or gravel, by which they may be clogged.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 69. The limber boards … cover these channels or ‘limbers,’ and serve to keep dirt out, which would soon choke the pumps.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 8. Then lay all the Flore timbers, and cut your *Limber holes aboue the keele, to bring the water to the well for the pumpe.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), s.v. Limbers, Every floor-timber has two limber-holes cut through it, viz. one on each side of the kelson.
1869. Sir E. J. Reed, Shipbuilding, v. 79. The limber-holes in the floor-plates are, as a general rule, cut above the frame angle-iron.
c. 1850. Rudim. Navig. (Weale), 129. *Limber passage, a passage or channel formed throughout the whole length of the floor, on each side of the kelson, for giving water a free communication to the pumps.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), *Limber-Rope, a long rope, frequently retained in the limber-holes … in order to clear them by pulling the rope backwards and forwards.
1841. Dana, Seaman’s Man., 114.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVII. 404/2. The *limber strake.
1841. Dana, Seaman’s Man., 114. Limber-streak. The streak of foot-waling nearest the keelson.
1874. Thearle, Naval Archit., 55. The limber strakes, while constituting a longitudinal tie over the floors, served also to form watercourses on each side of the keel, leading to the pumps.
1858. Simmonds, Dict. Trade, *Limber Tar, the bilge-water or refuse found in the hold of a ship that imports tar, which has drained from the casks during the voyage.
