cathead UK /ˈkæthɛd/US /ˈkætˌ(h)ɛd/noun 5verb 1forms 3 noun5 •A heavy piece of timber projecting somewhat horizontally from each side of the bow of a ship on which an anchor is raised or lowered, and secured when not used, from its stock end."Hurrah, for the last time," said the mate; and the anchor came to the cat-head to the tune of "Time for us to go," with a loud chorus. Everything was done quick, as though it were for the last time. — 1840 •(US) Ellipsis of cathead biscuit (“a large fluffy biscuit, typically served with gravy”). •A (small) capstan (“vertical cylindrical machine that revolves on a spindle, used to apply force to cables, ropes, etc.”) or windlass (“type of winch”) forming part of hoisting machinery. •A decorative element at the end of such a timber that often depicts a cat's head. •(dialect, UK) A nodule of ironstone containing fossil remains. verb1 •Synonym of cat (“to hoist (an anchor) so that it hangs at the cathead”)[T]he whole canvass of the ship was loosed, and with the greatest rapidity possible, everything was sheeted home and hoisted up, the anchor tripped and catheaded, and the ship under headway. — 1840 formscatheaded · catheading · catheads
