Catting

/kætɪŋ/ verb

Definition

Present participle of 'cat'; the act of vomiting, hunting like a cat, or performing the nautical action of raising an anchor using the cathead.

Etymology

From 'cat' (verb) with the gerund/present participle suffix '-ing.' Nautical usage draws from 'cathead,' the ship's lifting equipment.

Kelly Says

Sailors used 'catting' to describe hoisting anchors—one of those technical terms that makes maritime vocabulary sound like a comedy routine!

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