word of the day: hawser

The word of the day is hawser:

a heavy rope for mooring or towing.

Middle English haucer < Anglo-French hauceour, equivalent to Middle French hauci (er) to hoist (< Late Latin *altiāre to raise, derivative of Latin altus high; see haughty) (dictionary.com)

"Mort thought that history was thrashing around like a steel hawser with the tension off, twanging backwards and forwards across reality in great destructive sweeps."

 - Terry Pratchett, Mort