A rope or cord used on ships, possibly a small rope used for securing or hauling rigging.
From Spanish 'amantillo' (small rope for securing), diminutive of 'amante' (rope), itself from 'amante' (lover/something that holds). Maritime terminology from Spanish seafaring traditions.
This word survived in English only through sailing and nautical jargon—it's the kind of specialized vocabulary that older sailors knew but modern people don't, tucked away in the Maritime Register where colorful ship terms go to slowly disappear.
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