Naut.
1. A gun belonging to the STERN-CHASE (sense 2).
1815. Scott, Guy M., ix. They saw a lugger … closely pursued by a sloop of war, that kept firing upon the chase from her bows, which the lugger returned with her stern-chasers.
1833. M. Scott, Tom Cringle, xv. (1842), 380. He worked his two stern chasers with great determination.
b. jocularly. A firearm discharged at a pursuer.
1835. W. Irving, Tour Prairies, xxx. 283. The worthy Commissioner … drew his sole pistol from his holster, fired it off as a stern-chaser, shot the buffalo full in the breast, [etc.].
2. The hindmost vessel in a race.
1883. Times, 27 Aug., 8/2. Lorna [yacht], after having once headed Neptune, was weathered again by the little craft, and was sternchaser.
