a rope attaching one side of a square sail to a ship's bow (= front part)

We've let loose the bowline and we're drifting. 我们解开了帆脚索，让船在水上漂着。

a simple type of knot for making a loop (= a circle) that does not slip at the end of a rope

He finally got a loop of rope around the bumper, pulled it tight, and then tied another bowline. 他终于在保险杠上绕了一圈绳子，把它拉紧，然后又系上个单套结。

He tied a clumsy bowline knot around the branch. 他在树枝上打了一个笨拙的单套结。