Definition

In a direction that goes from one side of a ship to the other side.

Example

The cargo was stored athwartships to balance the weight evenly.

Conversation

Did you notice how the waves were crashing athwartships during the storm last night?

Yeah, it was pretty intense! The boat was rocking side to side.

I thought we might tip over at one point.

Same here! It was definitely the wildest ride I've ever had.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Athwartships is formed from "athwart" (from Old English "aþweard", meaning across or in opposition) and "ships" (the plural of "ship", which comes from Old English "scip", meaning a vessel for travel on water). The term refers to something positioned across the width of a ship.

Memory Tip

Think of something that is 'across' ('athwart') a 'ship' — this helps you remember that 'athwartships' means across the width of a ship.

Visually Confused Words