oakum
noun [ U ] uk/ˈəʊ.kəm/ us/ˈoʊ.kəm/
涂了胶水用于填塞缝隙的的细纤维，填絮（传统意义上的填絮由旧缆绳制成，用于填塞甲板上长条木板之间的空隙）。
thin fibres covered in a sticky substance and used for filling gaps. Oakum was traditionally made from old ropes and used to fill the gaps between the long, flat pieces of wood on a ship's deck (= floor).
We packed the cracks with oakum. 我们用填絮把缝隙堵住。
Then she saw a group of prisoners sitting in a dark cellar picking oakum (= separating the fibres from old ropes). 然后她看到一群囚犯坐在昏暗的地窖里在制作填絮。
- More examples
- Oakum was used to seal the seams between planks of wood on a boat.
- We filled every seam and crevice with oakum steeped in tobacco juice.
- Prison labour included picking oakum and sewing sacks.