Bilges

nautical.

either of the rounded areas that form the transition between the bottom and the sides on the exterior of a hull.
also, bilges. (in a hull with a double bottom) an enclosed area between frames at each side of the floors, where seepage collects.
also called bilge well. a well into which seepage drains to be pumped away.
also called bilge water. seepage acc-mulated in bilges.

slang. bilge water (def 2).
the widest circ-mference or belly of a cask.
nautical.

to leak in the bilge.
(of white paint) to turn yellow.

to bulge or swell out.
nautical. to damage (a hull bottom) so as to create an entry for seawater.
historical examples

blackbeard: buccaneer ralph d. paine
on yachts and yacht handling thomas fleming day
captain scraggs peter b. kyne
plain mary smith henry wallace phillips
the survey, volume xxx, number 1, april 5, 1913 various
with the night mail rudyard kipling
the flying bo’sun arthur mason
the coast of adventure harold bindloss
aliens william mcfee
an ocean tramp william mcfee

noun
(nautical) the parts of a vessel’s hull where the vertical sides curve inwards to form the bottom
(often pl) the parts of a vessel between the lowermost floorboards and the bottom
also called bilge water. the dirty water that collects in a vessel’s bilge
(informal) silly rubbish; nonsense
the widest part of the belly of a barrel or cask
verb
(intransitive) (nautical) (of a vessel) to take in water at the bilge
(transitive) (nautical) to damage (a vessel) in the bilge, causing it to leak
n.