rhizoverbBeta
DictionarybilgeShip bottom
noun / verb

bilge

BILJ/bɪldʒ/

The lowest interior part of a ship, where unwanted water collects.

A shallow pool of water collects in the ship's bilge below the floorboards.

Cutaway of a wooden ship hull showing the lowest inside space below the floorboards, a shallow pool of bilge water at the keel, no labels.
Etymology
bilgeLatinleather sack

The leather-sack ancestor connects with bulge meaning a ship’s hull; bilge names the lowest interior and the foul matter collecting there. The supplied evidence does not explain the “nonsense” sense.

In context

CUNY TV4:46
WE WANT TO TAKE FROM THE BILGE. SO THE BILGE IS UNDER THE BARGE.
August 2017 | Science & U!

More examples

  • Water has collected in the bilge overnight.
  • The surveyor checks the bilges for leaks.
  • The old vessel bilged against a submerged rock.

Forms

bilge · bilges · bilged · bilging

Similar words

hold
The ship's cargo space rather than its lowest interior.
sump
A low collecting space for liquid in various structures.