main yardn.
/ˈmeɪn jɑːd/, U.S. /ˈmeɪn ˌjɑrd/ Nautical.
The yard on which the mainsail is extended.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > spar > [noun] > yard > main-yard
main yard1485
1485 Naval Acct. in B. Sandahl Middle Eng. Sea Terms (1958) II. 68 Mayne yerdes.
c1572 G. Gascoigne Deuise of Maske in Posies (1575) 48 His eares cut from his head, they set him in a chayre, And from a maine yard hoisted him aloft into the ayre.
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. iii. 16 Suppose the ship be 76. foot at the Keele, her maine yard must be 21. yards in length, and in thicknesse but 17. inches.
1727 P. Longueville Hermit 154 The Main-yard could not lower.
1824 J. Symmons tr. Æschylus Agamemnon 59 Ship against ship, with crashing mainyards roll'd.
1840 R. H. Dana Two Years before Mast xvii. 46 We got a whip on the main-yard.
1926 Sea Breezes 8 214 There was a jackass brig, no main course, main yard high up, rigged like a topsail schooner on main mast.
1978 J. E. Gordon Structures xi. 228 The length of her mainyard is 102 feet.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.† main-yard-rope n. Obsolete rare
main-yard-arm n.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > spar > [noun] > yard > either end of
yardarm?a1554
spritsail yardarm1618
main-yard-arma1661
a1661 R. Bargrave Trav. Diary (1999) 83 All of them fell farily doune, before the Seraglio walls; setting on fire Potts of Pitch at theyr maineyard Armes.
1762 W. Falconer Shipwreck iii. 55 Some, from the main-yard-arm reluctant thrown.
1851 H. Melville Moby-Dick lxxviii. 379 Nimble as a cat, Tashtego mounts aloft; and..runs straight out upon the overhanging main-yard-arm.
1870 Times 15 Oct. 11/6 A man fell from the mainyard-arm of Her Majesty's steamship Rapid, on her passage from Tarragona.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > masts, rigging, or sails > rigging > [noun] > running rigging > rope or chain securing yard
rackOE
parrel1295
parrel rope1417
breast rope1495
main-yard-rope1497
rackiea1838
1497 in M. Oppenheim Naval Accts. & Inventories Henry VII (1896) 307 ij mayne yerde Ropes.
C2. † main-yard man n. Obsolete rare slang a sailor excused from duty by reason of illness.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > [noun]
shipmanc900
seamanOE
buscarlOE
shipperc1100
ship-gumec1275
marinerc1300
skipper1390
marinela1400
waterman1421
maryneller1470
seafarer1513
sea-fardingera1550
navigator1574
marinec1575
sailer1585
Triton1589
Neptunist1593
canvas-climber1609
sea-crab1609
tar-lubber1610
Neptunian1620
salt-rover1620
sailora1642
tarpaulin1647
otter1650
water dog1652
tarpauliana1656
Jack1659
tar1676
sea-animal1707
Jack tar1709
sailor-man1761
tarry-breeks1786
hearty1790
ocean-farera1806
tarry-jacket1822
Jacky1826
nautical1831
salt water1839
matelotc1847
knight of the tar-brush1866
main-yard man1867
gobby1883
tarry-John1888
blue jersey1889
lobscouser1889
flat-foot1897
handyman1899
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. Main-yard Men, those in the doctor's list.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1485