headfast

/ ˈhɛdfɑːst /

noun

1. a mooring rope at the bows of a ship

Word History and Origins

Origin of headfast¹

C16: from head (in the sense: front) + fast a mooring rope, from Middle English fest, from Old Norse festr; related to fast ¹

Example Sentences

In this lay the danger of making fast, for a strong pull from a headfast rope might drag the erection completely over.

From Project Gutenberg