Dictionary def - lask

[Twister_Ken]

Reading a book of 18c naval history I have twice come across the verb 'lask', which I can't find in any of my dictionaries. It seems as if it might mean 'drifting down to leeward', but it's not clear.

Looking online, I've come up with 'Lask (Lask) n. A diarrhea or flux. [Obs.] Holland.' and 'lask - scarf (scp), scarfing, scarving (joint), (splice)(cf. skrålaske)'.

Does anybody actually know what it means applied to 18c ships of the line?

 

[jimmynoboat]

"LASK To sail with the wind on the quarter, i.e., well abaft the beam
--from the glossary of Peter Padfield's "Maritime Supremacy and the
Opening of the Western Mind". Thanks--Ken Atkatz "
All copied from here

 

[ParaHandy]

that's wot 18c sailors did to the native crew (or lascars) on the leeward rail when desperate ....

 

[Twister_Ken]

""LASK To sail with the wind on the quarter, i.e., well abaft the beam
--from the glossary of Peter Padfield's "Maritime Supremacy and the
Opening of the Western Mind". Thanks--Ken Atkatz ""

What we'd call broad reaching, then.

Actually, the book I'm reading is 'Maritime Power and the Struggle for Freedom', by (you've guessed it) Peter Padfield. Can't help wondering whether lask is a Padfield family word.

Anyone find a reference to it elsewhere?

Cheers, TK.

 

[aitchw]

Lask: To sail large, with wind about four points abaft beam.

Found here.

 

[Poignard]

Hmm. Not a bad website that but a pity it doesn't include such everyday words as cat-harpins and gob-stick.

 

[stephenh]

Any use ??

Middle English - from Old Norman French - lasquer = to loosen.

3 meanings :-
i) vt - to lower in quantity etc.
ii)vi - to become loose in the bowels !!! - 1634
iii)to 'go large' - to sail neither 'by the wind' nor 'before the wind' - 1622

OED