n. 1 the part of a ship's bows in which hawse-holes or hawse-pipes are placed. 2 the space between the head of an anchored vessel and the anchors. 3 the arrangement of cables when a ship is moored with port and starboard forward anchors. hawse-hole a hole in the side of a ship through which a cable or anchor-rope passes. hawse-pipe a metal pipe lining a hawse-hole.
[ ME halse, prob. f. ON h ls neck, ship's bow ]