oakum
/ˈoʊkəm/
noun
- Loose fibers obtained by untwisting old ropes, used for caulking the seams of wooden ships or pipes.
- The shipwright packed oakum into the gaps between the planks to make the hull watertight.
- Sailors would spend hours picking apart tarred rope to make oakum for repairs.
- Before modern sealants, plumbers used oakum to seal joints in cast iron pipes.