Definition of hawse

• n. - A hawse hole.
• n. - The situation of the cables when a vessel is moored with two anchors, one on the starboard, the other on the port bow.
• n. - The distance ahead to which the cables usually extend; as, the ship has a clear or open hawse, or a foul hawse; to anchor in our hawse, or athwart hawse.
• n. - That part of a vessel's bow in which are the hawse holes for the cables.