futtock

noun

futtock

noun

UK /ˈfʌtək/ · US /ˈfʌtək/

Etymology

From Middle English futtek, votek, of uncertain origin; perhaps a compound of Old English fōt + hōc, or fut + -uc (foot hook or foot -ock), Old Dutch vot or fuot + hoek; or from timber jargon word butt + -ock (diminutive suffix). Alternatively from Middle Dutch voetkijn, diminutive of voet (“foot”), equivalent to foot + -kin; or Old English *fōtuc, meaning foot + -ock (diminutive suffix). Perhaps came into Old English from Old Norse fótr, or fett / futt (big); + ek (timbr), or øks; giving Old Norse fót'ek, futtek or futtøks; equivalent Norwegian is fot haki, fett eik (tømmer), or fett øks; meaning foot hook, big oak (timber), or bold axe.

1

Nautical, Transport Any of the curved rib-like timbers that form the frame of a wooden ship.

  • The timbers (called also frames, or floors, first, second and third futtocks, where the lengths of the frames are in two, three, or more pieces) will be "double," that is, two timbers will be placed close together, or nearly close together, and act as one frame.1884, Dixon Kemp, A Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing (Fourth Edition), page 12:
Derived terms
futtock band, futtock head, futtock hole, futtock lines, futtock plank, futtock plate, futtock rider, futtock shroud, futtock staff, futtock timber, ground futtock

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.