bobstay

American  

[bob-stay] / ˈbɒbˌsteɪ /

noun

Nautical.

1. a rope, chain, or rod from the outer end of the bowsprit to the cutwater.

---

bobstay British  

/ ˈbɒbˌsteɪ /

noun

1. a strong stay between a bowsprit and the stem of a vessel for holding down the bowsprit

---

Etymology

Origin of bobstay

First recorded in 1750–60; bob ¹ + stay ³

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bobstay

The little craft was tossing in the heavy swell, and before she had been in the pack for ten minutes she came down on a cake of ice and broke the bobstay.

From South: the story of Shackleton's 1914-1917 expedition by Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton

To take the pull off the tops, the shrouds are continued round to the mast as "futtock" shrouds, on the same principle as the foretopmast-stay finds its continuation in the bobstay.

From Golden Days for Boys and Girls, Vol. XIII, Nov. 28, 1891 by James Elverson

Dropping their oars, the plucky British tars sprang into the chains, swarmed up the bobstay and over the bow, and used each other's backs as ladders to aid them to reach the schooner's deck.

From The Naval History of the United States Volume 1 by Willis J. (Willis John) Abbot

I thought I saw some one hanging on to her bobstay, and the next moment that or something else struck me on the head and shoulders, and I thought I was going overboard.

From The Three Admirals by J.R. Wells

With the ship pitching to a heavy head sea, this was by no means easy, yet it was simple compared to the work of repairing the damaged bobstay.

From The Romance of Polar Exploration Interesting Descriptions of Arctic and Antarctic Adventure from the Earliest Time to the Voyage of the ?Discovery? by G. Firth Scott

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---