Tye.
1. (Nautical.) A rope by which a yard is hoisted. It passes through the mast; one end is attached to the middle of the yard, and the other end is hooked to a purchase composed of the tye-block and fly-block, by which the hoisting is effected.
2. (Mining.) An inclined trough for separating ore by means of a flowing stream of water. The slimes are allowed to flow in a thin wide stream upon the upper part of the trough, are disturbed by a broom, and collected, according to relative weight and quality, at different parts of the length of the trough. The sorts are known as heads, middles, and [2671] tails; the first going to pile, the second is re-tyed, the third is refuse.
