Posted by Ed Kiser on September 21, 2003 at 13:21:13 from 64.12.96.103 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Proof Reading (was Winter Holiday Reading Level) posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on September 21, 2003 at 09:04:13:
In looking into WEBSTER, I find:
Sprit - a spar that crosses a fore-and-aft sail diagonally.
Spritsail - a sail extended by a sprit.
Bowsprit - a large spar extended forward from the stem of a ship.
I do not see any reference that defines sprit as meaning the entire barge, only a piece of equipment that may be on a barge. As for the "varnish" - I can see putting varnish on a spar, but not to VARNISH an entire barge, that would need to be PAINTED.
But then again, perhaps this is yet another example of the uncommon nature of our common language.
Thought maybe my dictionary was for the American slant on things, so I looked up FELLS, and found: a high barren field or moor (Dialect Brit).
The things we learn while persuing All Things Ransome.
Ed Kiser, South Florida