the track impressed by the course of a ship on the surface of the water. It is formed by the re-union of the body of water which was separated by the ship's bottom while moving through it; and may be seen to a considerable distance behind the stern, as smoother than the rest of the sea. Hence it is usually observed by the compass, to discover the angle of lee-way. A ship is said to be in the wake of another when she follows her on the same track, or a line supposed to be formed on the continuation of her keel. Two distant objects observed at sea are called in the wake of each other, when the view of the farthest is intercepted by the nearest, so that the observer's eye and the two objects are all placed upon the same right line.