Bouse
/baʊz/noun
A nautical verb meaning to haul or hoist something with a tackle; it is also an archaic spelling of “booze.”
Did you know?In historical English, “bouse” could refer both to strenuous rope work at sea and, in another spelling tradition, to heavy drinking—two very different sailor associations.
Etymological Timeline
16th–17th Century
Middle Dutch
boesen
“To pull or haul; a proposed source for the nautical English verb”
17th Century
English
bouse
“To haul or hoist by means of a tackle”
17th Century
English
bouse
“A nautical term used for applying additional mechanical force to a rope or load”
17th–18th Century
English
bouse
“An archaic spelling or variant of “booze,” meaning to drink heavily”
Modern English
English
bouse
“An uncommon nautical or historical word, chiefly encountered in dictionaries and maritime writing”