Q: "frowning point"?

[Jonathan Lighter]

Sounds to me more like a "frowning" (because formidably elevated) "point"
of land.

JL



On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 8:48 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Q: "frowning point"?
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> In text circa 1830-1840, describing a portion of a sailing voyage
> when the ship was close to land and the crew concerned about
> crashing, I read "we were squeezing round the high and frowning
> point, and in good time wholly weathered it and got into an open sea
> to leeward ..."
>
> I don't find "frowning (point)" in the OED.  What does it mean? I am
> guessing a "point" (direction) relative to the wind when sailing upwind.
>
> Joel
>
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