Posted by John Nichols on January 27, 2005 at 14:28:57 from 165.91.196.13 user Mcneacail.
In Reply to: Re: Origin of Horning (was Train from London) posted by Mike Dennis on January 27, 2005 at 08:15:15:
Interesting about the Horn shaped piece of land:
A boat building book I got at Christmas says that Horning is the act of using a string line to square a frame to the front of the boat. It then goes onto to describe picking a point on the keel forward of the frame and then two points equidistant from the centre of the frame on the sheer line and using these points to check the squareness of the frame to the keel.
The OED amoungst many definitions says
"Shipbuilding. To adjust (the frame of a ship) so as to be at right angles to the line of the keel. "
1869
c1850
c1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 147 Standards..convenient to horn or square the frame. Ibid. 151 To Square, is to horn or form with right angles. 1869 E. J. REED Shipbuild. xx. 442 Each frame being horned and plumbed in order to ensure the correctness of its position.
So in this sense it is not an old word.
How long has Horning been a town in England?
John