\Hawse\ (h[add]z or h[add]s; 277), n. [Orig. a hawse hole,
or hole in the ship; cf. Icel. hals, h[=a]ls, neck, part of
the bows of a ship, AS. heals neck. See {Collar}, and cf.
{Halse} to embrace.]
1. A hawse hole. --Harris.
2. (Naut.)
   (a) The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored
       with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on
       the port bow.
   (b) The distance ahead to which the cables usually extend;
       as, the ship has a clear or open hawse, or a foul
       hawse; to anchor in our hawse, or athwart hawse.
   (c) That part of a vessel's bow in which are the hawse
       holes for the cables.
{Athwart hawse}. See under {Athwart}.
{Foul hawse}, a hawse in which the cables cross each other,
   or are twisted together.
{Hawse block}, a block used to stop up a hawse hole at sea;
   -- called also {hawse plug}.
{Hawse hole}, a hole in the bow of a ship, through which a
   cable passes.
{Hawse piece}, one of the foremost timbers of a ship, through
   which the hawse hole is cut.
{Hawse plug}. Same as {Hawse block} (above).
{To come in at the hawse holes}, to enter the naval service
   at the lowest grade. [Cant]
{To freshen the hawse}, to veer out a little more cable and
   bring the chafe and strain on another part.