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chesstree

American

[ches-tree] / ˈtʃɛsˌtri /

noun

Nautical.

(in the 17th and 18th centuries) a wooden fastening with one or more sheaves, attached to the topside of a sailing vessel, through which the windward tack of a course was rove.

Etymology

Origin of chesstree

1620–30; perhaps by folk etymology < French châssis frame; chassis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the mountainous waves took her with irresistible force from her chesstree, retarding her velocity, and forcing her each moment nearer to the reef.

From The King's Own by Marryat, Frederick

On a sudden, the frigate heeled over to starboard, and at the same time a sea broke over her chesstree, which nearly drowned us where we were clinging.

From Percival Keene by Marryat, Frederick

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023