- any of various cranelike devices used singly or in pairs for supporting, raising, and lowering especially boats, anchors, and cargo over a hatchway or side of a ship.
also david, "crane-like structure used to lower things down off a ship, etc.," late 15c., apparently a use of the masc. proper name David on the pattern of applying common Christian names to useful devices (cf. jack, jenny, jimmy).
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/davit)
"Cole and Sweetman, operating the davits, swung the cutters and one of the whaleboats onto the ice."
- Hampton Sides, In the Kingdom of Ice: the Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
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