Clewing

They have a strange habit, not observable among their congeners, of collecting in small troops, and rolling or "clewing" themselves up together. ❋ Mayne Reid (1850)

Ethelberta could see the men on board the yacht clewing up and making things snug in a way from which she inferred that they were not going to leave the harbour again that day. ❋ Unknown (2006)

A whole suit of sails was completely worn out on this voyage; but what can one expect when the ship is being worked every single day, with clewing up, making fast and setting of sails both in calms and winds? ❋ Unknown (2003)

He had Ranger play the coquette, slowing her by clewing up his main course and backing his top sails to let Drake draw closer, then spreading her canvas and pulling away again. ❋ 9781451603996 (2003)

As a rule, though, it was only clewing up the sails that had to be done, as we always had to take soundings on the weather side, so that the sounding-line should not foul the bottom of the vessel and smash the apparatus. ❋ Unknown (2003)

Her watch had clambered about the rigging like ants on floating debris, clewing down, close reefing and furling in response to order after order, until she had stopped thinking at all, only moving to obey the bellowed commands. ❋ Hobb, Robin (1998)

"Good morning, Master Nonnus," Asera said as the hermit came back to take over the tiller and the sheets clewing the sail. ❋ Unknown (1997)

No one seemed to think of clewing up the sails, and thereby lessening the impetuous surges of the unfortunate galliot. ❋ Theodore Canot (N/A)

Hatteras, a glimpse of old Montauk through the fog, a sharp look-out for beacons and buoys, the song of the leads-man, the quick tramp of men clewing up sail, a heavy splash and the rattle of chain, and we are anchored fast in New London mud. ❋ Various (N/A)

The heavy, black, and dangerous-looking clouds would come along about every half-hour, just fast enough to keep the men busy clewing down and hoisting the lighter canvas nearly all day long, for some would have a puff of wind ahead of them and some a puff behind, making it all guesswork as to how hard it would strike. ❋ Unknown (N/A)

However, by keeping her away, and clewing up every thing, she righted. ❋ Anonymous (N/A)

Don John quickly ran up a white flag, the signal of battle, and immediately the whole fleet was busily engaged in clewing up the sails to the yards, and making all snug for the conflict. ❋ Stanley Lane-Poole (N/A)

Her light sails were taken in, as she passed the low, sandy tongue of land, and clewing up her head sails, she rounded handsomely to, under her mizen topsail, and let go the anchor at about a cable’s length from the shore. ❋ Unknown (1909)

But then, if no second squall is coming, the mate will cut the clewing short with a stentorian 'Masthead the yards again!' on which the watch lay on to the halliards and haul -- _Ahay_! ❋ William Charles Henry Wood (1905)

Warwickshire, clewing up the loose tackle, holding heart-to-heart conversations with Collingwood and my steward. ❋ Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (1903)

With a smooth sea we held our own, and after a chase of forty miles she fired a gun, which fell short, and putting up her helm and clewing ❋ Unknown (1900)

Thank God we [hired] that Clew, we just got three more [studio] [deals] this week. ❋ Laurentaylor (2011)

that [clew] over there wont stop tryng to [sell] me his [sweaters] ❋ Jlaur (2006)

Dude, have you [taken] clew out for [a walk in the park] [this morning] ? ❋ Slssfw (2005)

[God damn] dude! Last night I [Sam] Clewesed [so bad]!!! ❋ Y0L0345 (2012)

'I saw this gas station in [Sidney] called Bread N' Loaf.' 'The fuck kind of name is that? [That shit's] [clew].' ❋ Johnnypry (2014)

I just [clew'd] [a girl]. [Pranked]. ❋ ClewMaster (2017)

damn! did u see fin clews miss that [sitter]? he wishes his finishing was as [good as] [neve] waggs!!!! ❋ Finclews (2022)