starboard side. — Helm alee, Helm aweather, when the tiller is borne over to the lee or to the weather
side. — Helm hard alee or hard aport, hard astarboard, etc., when the tiller is borne over to the
extreme limit. — Helm port, the round hole in a vessel's counter through which the rudderstock passes.
— Helm down, helm alee. — Helm up, helm aweather. — To ease the helm, to let the tiller come
more amidships, so as to lessen the strain on the rudder. — To feel the helm, to obey it. — To right
the helm, to put it amidships. — To shift the helm, to bear the tiller over to the corresponding position
on the opposite side of the vessel. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Helm
(Helm), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Helmed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Helming.] To steer; to guide; to direct. [R.]
The business he hath helmed.
Shak.
A wild wave . . . overbears the bark,
And him that helms it.
Tennyson. Helm
(Helm), n. [AS. See Helmet.]
1. A helmet. [Poetic]
2. A heavy cloud lying on the brow of a mountain. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Helm
(Helm), v. t. To cover or furnish with a helm or helmet. [Perh. used only as a past part. or part.
adj.]
She that helmed was in starke stours.
Chaucer. Helmage
(Helm"age) n. Guidance; direction. [R.]
Helmed
(Helm"ed) a. Covered with a helmet.
The helmed cherubim
Are seen in glittering ranks.
Milton. Helmet
(Hel"met) n. [OF. helmet, a dim of helme, F. heaume; of Teutonic origin; cf. G. helm, akin
to AS. & OS. helm, D. helm, helmet, Icel. hjalmr, Sw. hjelm, Dan. hielm, Goth. hilms; and prob.
from the root of AS. helan to hide, to hele; cf. also Lith. szalmas, Russ. shleme, Skr. çarman
protection. &radic17. Cf. Hele, Hell, Helm a helmet.]
1. (Armor) A defensive covering for the head. See Casque, Headpiece, Morion, Sallet, and Illust.
of Beaver.
2. (Her.) The representation of a helmet over shields or coats of arms, denoting gradations of rank by
modifications of form.
3. A helmet-shaped hat, made of cork, felt, metal, or other suitable material, worn as part of the uniform
of soldiers, firemen, etc., also worn in hot countries as a protection from the heat of the sun.
4. That which resembles a helmet in form, position, etc.; as: (a) (Chem.) The upper part of a retort.
Boyle. (b) (Bot.) The hood-formed upper sepal or petal of some flowers, as of the monkshood or the
snapdragon. (c) (Zoöl.) A naked shield or protuberance on the top or fore part of the head of a bird.
Helmet beetle (Zoöl.),
a leaf- eating beetle of the family Chrysomelidæ, having a short, broad, and flattened
body. Many species are known. — Helmet shell (Zoöl.), one of many species of tropical marine univalve
shells belonging to Cassis and allied genera. Many of them are large and handsome; several are used
for cutting as cameos, and hence are called cameo shells. See King conch. — Helmet shrike (Zoöl.),
an African wood shrike of the genus Prionodon, having a large crest.
Helmeted
(Hel`met*ed) a. Wearing a helmet; furnished with or having a helmet or helmet-shaped part; galeate.