DCHP-1 Online
patch 
1 † n. See 1851 quote.
- 1851 A patch is a collection of drift or bay-ice, of a circular or polygonal form. In point of magnitude, a pack corresponds with a field, and a patch with a floe.
- 1852 There was a patch of ice between us and the island, which probably may have assisted to increase the refraction in that direction, although it was exceedingly powerful in every other direction.
2 n. Esp.Nfld a herd of seals.
See also: main patch seal patch
- 1878 Other reports state that a portion of the fleet . . . tried their fortunes in search of a more northerly patch than the Falcon and Arctic fell in with.
- 1916 Next day Cap'n Saul found the herds--a patch of harps and new-whelped young.
- 1933 CUT. the course selected by each Captain, as the best or shortest ice passage to the Patch.
- 1958 Captain Jackman had struck his patch, killed his load, and left another half a load on the ice. . . .
- 1851 A patch is a collection of drift or bay-ice, of a circular or polygonal form. In point of magnitude, a pack corresponds with a field, and a patch with a floe.