Swift′er.
(Nautical.) a. A rope used to confine the bars of the capstans in their sockets. b. A rope encircling a boat, parallel to its water line, or on the shear line. It stiffens the boat, and acts as a fender. The girth ropes, spoken of by St. Luke, were passed around the vessel like hoops, to prevent the spreading of the frames. “They used helps, undergirding the ship.” — Acts XXVII. 16. c. A shroud from the head of a lower mast to the ship's side, before the other shrouds, and not confined by the cat harpings.