Plural of cockbill; horizontal spars or beams on a ship that are positioned at angled or uneven positions.
Nautical plural of cockbill, used in maritime terminology. The term refers to the physical spars themselves when arranged in this distinctive tilted configuration.
Looking at old ship paintings, you can literally read the 'mood' of the vessel by how its cockbills were arranged—a ship with perfectly level yards looked formal and ready, while cockbills signaled something ceremonial or unusual was happening.
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