brail

About 0.02 uses per million words.

Meaning

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

Similar words

throat brail bell rope ropeband bolt rope bridle brace truss tack boatrope bolt-rope

Often followed by

up and the craig in was a

Word family

brailed brailing brails