1. A series of rope turns wrapped tightly around a ship's cable or rope to protect it from chafing or damage.
Usage: nautical; chiefly historical

1. To wrap rope or cord tightly around a cable or rope for protection.
Usage: nautical; chiefly historical

Examples

• The sailors applied keckling to the anchor cable to prevent it from fraying.
• They were keckling the rope with smaller cordage before the storm hit.
• The keckling on the main cable had worn away after months at sea.
• The bosun ordered the crew to begin keckling the damaged section of rope.
• Proper keckling extended the life of expensive ship's cables significantly.