grappling-hooks

Then as soon as it came across their mooring cables, its duty was to slide for a little way along them in a friendly manner, lay hold of them kindly with its long tail, which consisted of a series of grappling-hooks buoyed with cork, and then bringing up smartly alongside of the gun-boats, blow itself up, and carry them up with it.

Springhaven Richard Doddridge 2004

But the Hyksos threw out grappling-hooks and slowed his ship enough to board her.

The War of the Crowns Christian Jacq 2002

"Here, give me one of those grappling-hooks of yours."

Hero Of Dreams Lumley, Brian 1986

Crab now cast his chains and grappling-hooks over the ruins of the machine, and, dragging it nearer the walls, poured down his combustibles in such quantity, that it was soon consumed to ashes.

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 20, No. 569, October 6, 1832 Various

He dislodged his grappling-hooks in an instant, stepped slightly in advance, and feigned that he had been running along on his own steam.

Skookum Chuck Fables Bits of History, Through the Microscope

Now it was she who caught his hand and held it as though her fingers had been grappling-hooks.

The Mother 1928

As when he wrote poetry the grappling-hooks of rhyme dragged him into statements he had not dreamed of at the start and was afraid of at the finish -- so now he stumbled into

We Can't Have Everything Rupert Hughes 1914

At last the Carthaginans began to throw poles with grappling-hooks at the end-the soldiers call them harpagones-on to the Roman ships, and it was impossible to cut away either the poles or the chains by which they were suspended.

The History of Rome, Vol. IV 1905

Swinging the grappling-hooks round at arm's length, as if they were heaving the lead, the bluejackets made the fireships fast, the officers shouted, 'Give way!' and presently the whole infernal flotilla was safely stranded.

The Winning of Canada: a Chronicle of Wolf William Charles Henry Wood 1905

All the time he is laying out grappling-hooks, without knowing it, for the opportunity that comes only to the one who can profit by it, and, when it passes, he lays hold of it quite naturally.

III. Early Lessons in Politics 1904