kedge

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 14, 2012 is: kedge • \KEJ\  • verb : to move a ship by means of a line attached to a small anchor dropped at the distance and in the direction desired Examples: To get closer to shore, they kedged the ship. "Stranded in the calm, both the Congress and the Cumberland rushed to position their broadside guns by kedging themselves about with their anchors." - From an article by Mark St. John Erickson in the Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia), March 8, 2012 Did you know? In 1627, A Sea Grammar was published. In that text, Captain John Smith sailed the word "kedge" into the sea of the English language, and etymologists are still trying to find the exact coordinates of its origin. Many believe "cadge," meaning a "carrier" or "huckster," is hitched to "kedge" and that "cadge" was originally towed in by the Middle English word "cagen" ("to tie"). "Cagen" is of equestrian origin: it is strapped to the act of hitching a horse used for transporting wares. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.