the latitudes near 30°N or 30°S at sea, characterized by baffling winds, calms, and high barometric pressure
Word origin
C18: referring either to the high mortality of horses on board ship in these latitudesor to dead horse (nautical slang: advance pay), which sailors expected to work off by this stage ofa voyage
horse latitudes in American English
either of two belts over the oceans at c. 30° - 35° north and south latitude, characterized by calms, light wind, high barometric pressure, and hot, dry weather
Word origin
said to be so named because sailing vessels transporting horses to the West Indiesoften had to throw horses overboard because of water shortages resulting from delayswhile becalmed
Examples of 'horse latitudes' in a sentence
horse latitudes
I was floating, as if in the horse latitudes, bereft of power.