The crossword solution for the term 'BARELY CLEAR OF THE BOTTOM' is AWEIGH, which is a six-letter word. Aweigh is a nautical term meaning to lift or raise something, usually referring to an anchor being lifted from the bottom of a body of water. It can also be used to describe a ship that has been lifted off the bottom of the sea and is now floating freely. In this case, the term 'barely clear of the bottom' implies that the ship is just barely able to float on its own, having been lifted off the bottom of the sea.