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Webster 1913 Edition
Binnacle
Bin′na-cle
,Noun.
[For
bittacle
, corrupted (perh. by influence of bin
) fr. Pg. bitacola
binnacle, fr. L. habitaculum
dwelling place, fr. habitare
to dwell. See Habit
, and cf. Bittacle
.] (Naut.)
A case or box placed near the helmsman, containing the compass of a ship, and a light to show it at night.
Totten.