taffrail

taffrail
taffrail (n.) 1814, alteration of tafferel "upper panel on the stern of a ship (often ornamented)" (1704), earlier, "a carved panel" (1620s), from Du. tafereel "panel for painting or carving," dissimulation from *tafeleel, dim. of tafel "table," from the general West Germanic borrowing of L. tabula "slab, board" (see TABLE (Cf. table) (n.)). The word developed in Dutch from the custom of ornamenting the high, flat stern of old sailing ships; spelling and sense altered in English by influence of RAIL (Cf. rail) (n.).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Taffrail — Taff rail, n. [D. tafereel a panel, picture, fr. tafel table, fr. L. tabula. See {Table}.] (Naut.) The upper part of a ship s stern, which is flat like a table on the top, and sometimes ornamented with carved work; the rail around a ship s stern …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • taffrail — ► NOUN ▪ a rail round a ship s stern. ORIGIN from obsolete tafferel «panel», used to denote the flat part of a ship s stern above the transom, from Dutch tafereel …   English terms dictionary

  • taffrail — [taf′rāl΄] n. [altered (infl. by RAIL1) < TAFFEREL] the rail around the stern of a ship …   English World dictionary

  • Taffrail — A Taffrail is the aftermost railing around the stern of a ship, often, but not always, ornately carved. A taffrail log is an object dragged from the stern of the vessel to calculate the vessel s speed through the water. External references *… …   Wikipedia

  • taffrail log — noun a cigar shaped log with rotary fins that measure the ship s speed • Syn: ↑patent log, ↑screw log • Hypernyms: ↑log * * * noun : a log that is mounted on the taffrail of a ship and consists of a rotator, log line, and recording device co …   Useful english dictionary

  • taffrail — noun Etymology: modification of Dutch tafereel, from Middle Dutch, panel, from Old French tablel more at tableau Date: circa 1704 1. the upper part of the stern of a wooden ship 2. a rail around the stern of a ship …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • taffrail — /taf rayl , reuhl/, n. Naut. 1. the upper part of the stern of a ship. 2. a rail above the stern of a ship. [1805 15; syncopated var. of TAFFAREL; ai sp. D ee ] * * * …   Universalium

  • taffrail — noun a) The curved wooden top of the stern of a sailing man of war or East Indiaman, usually carved or decorated. b) The rail around the stern of a ship …   Wiktionary

  • taffrail — rail round the stern of a ship Nautical Terms …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • taffrail — n. rail around a ship s stern …   English contemporary dictionary

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