Trunnel (Noun)
Meaning
A wooden peg that is used to fasten timbers in shipbuilding; water causes the peg to swell and hold the timbers fast.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The shipwright carefully inserted the trunnel into the pre-drilled hole to secure the wooden plank to the frame.
- As the wooden hull of the ship was exposed to seawater, the trunnels swelled, holding the timbers tightly in place.
- The old sailing vessel's hull was held together by a combination of iron bolts and traditional trunnels.
- To repair the damaged ship, the carpenter had to replace several rotten trunnels with new ones.
- The historic ship's restoration required the use of traditional materials, including hand-whittled trunnels to fasten the timbers.