brail

/bɹeɪl/

Etymology

From Middle English brayle, from Old French braiel, from Medieval Latin bracale (“girdle”) (from bracae (“breeches”)).

noun

  1. A small rope used to truss up sails.
  2. A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk's wing.
  3. A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.
  4. A rope or line used to suspend lights or scenery in a certain position.
  5. The feathers around a hawk's rump.

verb

  1. To reef, shorten or strike sail using brails.“The winds blew at their own caprice and there was brailing and loosing of canvas.”