A plate of iron with a handle, forming a kind of chisel, or a spadelike implement, variously proportioned, and used for various purposes, as for stripping the planking from a vessel's side, for cutting blubber from a whale, or for stirring a fire of coals; a slice bar; a peel; a fire shovel.
One of the wedges by which the cradle and the ship are lifted clear of the building blocks to prepare for launching.
From Middle English sclise, sklise, from Old French esclice, esclis, deverbal of esclicer, esclicier, from Frankish *slitjan ("to split up"), from Proto-Germanic *slitjaną, from Proto-Germanic *slītaną ("to split, tear apart"), from Proto-Indo-European *sleyd- ("to rend, injure, crumble"). Akin to Old High German sliz, gisliz, Old High German slīzan ("to tear"), Old English slītan ("to split up"). More at slite, slit.
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