What is the definition of knot?
A knot was a measure with a chip log, which was first described by William Bourne in his book, A Regiment for the Sea, published in 1574. Bourne writes: To know the ships way some do use this (as I take it) is very good: they have a piece of wood, and a line to vere out over boorde, with a small line of a great length, which they make fast at one ende, and at the other ende, and middle, they have a piece of lyne which they make fast with a small thred to stande lyke unto a crowfoote: for this purpose that it should drive asterne as fast as the shippe doth go away from it, always having the line so ready, that it goeth out as fast as the ship goeth. In like manner they have either a minute of an hour glass, or else a knowne parte of an houre by some number of woordes, or such other lyke, so that the line being vered out, and stopped just with that tyme that the glasse is out, or the number of wordes spoken, which done they hale in the logge or piece of wood again, and looke how many fat
