Webster's 1828 Dictionary
BOWLINE
n.A rope fastened near the middle of the leech or perpendicular edge of the square sails, by subordinate parts, called bridles, and used to keep the weather edge of the sail tight forward, when the ship is close hauled. The bridles, are the ropes by which the bowline is fastened to the leech of the sail.
Webster's 1913 Dictionary
BOWLINE
Bow "line, n. Etym: [Cf. D. boelijn, Icel. böglïnabovline; properly the line attached to the shoulder or side of the sail. See Bow (of a ship ), and Line. ] (Naut. )
Defn: A rope fastened near the middle of the leech or perpendicular edge of the square sails, by subordinate ropes, called bridles, and used to keep the weather edge of the sail tight forward, when the ship is closehauled. Bowline bridles, the ropes by which the bowline is fastened to the leech of the sail. -- Bowline knot. See Illust. under Knot. -- On a bowline, close-hauled or sailing close to the wind; -- said of a ship.
New American Oxford Dictionary
bowline
bow line |ˈbōlīn ˈbaʊlaɪn | ▶noun 1 a rope attached to the weather leech of a square sail and leading forward, thus helping the ship sail nearer the wind. 2 a nonbinding knot for forming a nonslipping nonjamming loop at the end of a rope. ORIGIN Middle English: from Middle Low German bōlīne, Middle Dutch boechlijne, from boeg ‘ship's bow ’ + lijne ‘line. ’
Oxford Dictionary
bowline
bowline |ˈbəʊlɪn | ▶noun 1 a rope attaching the weather side of a square sail to a ship's bow. 2 a simple knot for forming a non-slipping loop at the end of a rope. ORIGIN Middle English: from Middle Low German bōlīne, Middle Dutch boechlijne, from boeg ‘ship's bow ’ + lijne ‘line ’.
The Wordsmith Dictionary