American English has plenty of uses of the word "dead" to mean "absolute" or "completely", a sin "top dead center", "dead slow ahead" (a maritime engine-room command), and "dead-eye dick" for a sharpshooter. Although why anyone would use his dick for that purpose is beyond me. Cf. "dead-eyes", the lignum vitae blocks used for securing ratlines to chainplates in older vessels.



A