rogue's yarn

noun

A thread of red, blue or gold worsted, worked into the ropes manufactured in the government Royal dockyards, to identify them if stolen. Red for Pompey (Portsmouth), Blue for Guz (Plymouth), Gold for Chatham. Also a blue thread worked into canvas for the same purpose.

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Meanings

nounrogue's yarn (plural rogue's yarns)

plural rogue's yarns

  1. historicalslanggovernmentA thread of red, blue or gold worsted, worked into the ropes manufactured in the government Royal dockyards, to identify them if stolen. Red for Pompey (Portsmouth), Blue for Guz (Plymouth), Gold for Chatham. Also a blue thread worked into canvas for the same purpose.
Cite this entry
APA

rogue's yarn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rogue's%20yarn

MLA

“rogue's yarn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rogue's%20yarn. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rogue's yarn,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rogue's%20yarn.

Source: rogue's yarn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.