breast ropen.
/ˈbrɛst rəʊp/, U.S. /ˈbrɛs(t) ˌroʊp/ 1. † a. A rope tied around the chest, esp. as a means of supporting and securing a burden carried on one's back. Obsolete. rare.The exact sense in quot. 1412 is unclear.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > rope, cord, or line > types of
warp1296
sewing-rope1336
viring-rope1336
wardrope1338
bast1357
breast rope1412
balk-line1506
waterline1626
shank1706
selvage1711
shroud hawser1744
white line1747
selvagee1750
cringle1787
staple-rope1794
bracing-rope1827
selvage-stropc1860
soga1860
four-cant1867
toggle-lanyard1874
maguey1908
snorter1950
snotter1950
1412 in W. W. Capes Charters & Rec. Hereford Cathedral (1908) 269 Pro j magno cabullo et bresterope..j lodrope emptis apud Brystow.
1782 F. Douglas Gen. Descr. E. Coast Scotl. 150 Great quantities of fish..are even brought from Newburgh..upon womens backs, in baskets, with a breast-rope fixed to them.
b. Nautical. A rope fastened between the shrouds of a mast and tied for safety around the chest of a leadsman taking soundings by hand from the chains.
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society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > equipment of vessel > ropes or chains other than rigging or cable > [noun] > rope supporting leadsman
breast rope1794
1794 D. Steel Elements & Pract. Rigging & Seamanship I. 172 Breast-rope is fastened along the laniards of the shrouds, for safety, when heaving the lead in the chains.
1874 F. G. D. Bedford Sailor's Pocket Bk. v. 119 The foremast awning stanchion..forms a good support for the leadsman's breast-rope.
1928 Bluejackets' Man. (U.S. Navy) (ed. 7) xii. 165 On going into the chains for the purpose of sounding, the leadsman should see that the breast rope is properly secured, his line clear, and the end made fast.
2000 R. Mayne Lang. Sailing 40 A ‘breast band’ is a wide band of sennit used to support the leadsman when taking soundings by hand—sometimes called a ‘breastrope’.
2. Nautical. A rope which forms part of a parrel attaching a yard to a mast; cf. parrel rope n. at parrel n. Compounds. Now rare and historical.
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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
1495 in M. Oppenheim Naval Accts. & Inventories Henry VII (1896) 268 Mayne parelles, j. Breste Ropes to the same, j.
1627 J. Smith Sea Gram. v. 20 Parrels..with the helpe of the Brest-rope doth keepe the Yard close to the Mast.
1762 Naval Dict. in Gen. Hist. Sieges & Battles VI. 188 These [sc. parrels] also with the breast ropes fasten the yards to the masts.
1867 W. H. Smyth & E. Belcher Sailor's Word-bk. 132 Breast-rope, the lashing or laniard of the yard-parrels.
1979 F. Howard Sailing Ships of War ii. 68/2 A breast-rope..was a preventer binding round mast and yard for safety in the event of the parrel breaking.
3. Nautical. A rope used to secure a boat parallel to a dock, jetty, another vessel, etc.Cf. breastfast n., breast line n.2, and breast v. 8.
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1836 Morning Post 11 May 7/4 There was no breast rope out to prevent the vessel swerving off from the wharf.
1961 Guardian 5 Sept. 12/3 When the lines are fast, breast ropes are put out to keep the ship close in to the quay.
2013 S. Sleight Sailing Essentials 100 Breast ropes are sometimes used in addition to the four main warps to hold the boat close alongside.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1412