brail
/breɪl
/Sailing
noun (brails)
Small ropes that are led from the leech of a fore-and-aft sail to pulleys on the mast for temporarily furling it.As with the brails and sheets, there is no need to trim the scolaringe....
- For approaches, landings, and getting the sail out of the way while rowing, let go the sheet and haul on the brail.
- It was too late to pause, however, and the sheet was slowly eased off, Jack hauling on the brail at the same time.
verb [with object] (brail a sail up)
Furl a sail by hauling on brails.Large sprit rigs leave the sprit standing, and the sail is furled by brailing it up to the mast and headrope....
- I would haul the mizen up, and the mizen stay-sail down, or brail it up, hard a weather the helm, shiver the mizen top-sail, let go the main and main-top bowlines, ease off the main sheet, the lee main brace, and round in the weather brace.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French braiel, from medieval Latin bracale 'girdle', from braca 'breeches'.
Rhymes
- performancy
- performative
- performatively
- performativity
- performatory
- performer
- performing artist
- performing arts
- performing pitch
- performing rights
- performing score
- perfricate
- perfrication
- perfumatory
- perfume
- perfumed
- perfumeless
- perfumer
- perfumery
- perfumier
- perfumist
- perfumy
- perfunctionary
- perfunctorily
- perfunctoriness