1) an oblong. galvanized or stainless-steel fitting with flared margins and an open-ended base. 2) a device used to increase the bend radius of and reduce wear on a rope when attached to hardware.
thimble (Wikipedia)
A thimble is a small pitted cup worn on the finger that protects it from being pricked or poked by a needle while sewing. The Old English word þȳmel, the ancestor of thimble, is derived from Old English þūma, the ancestor of the English word thumb.
