forestay

[ fawr-stey, fohr- ]

/ ˈfɔrˌsteɪ, ˈfoʊr- /

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noun

a stay leading aft and upward from the stem or knightheads of a vessel to the head of the fore lower mast; the lowermost stay of a foremast.

a stay leading aft and upwards toward the mainmast of a sloop, knockabout, cutter, ketch, yawl, or dandy.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of forestay

First recorded in 1325–75, forestay is from the Middle English word forstay.See fore-, stay³

Words nearby forestay

forest, forestaff, forestage, forestall, forestation, forestay, forestaysail, forest bathing, forester, forest green, Forest Grove

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use forestay in a sentence

Then the lantern in the forestay bobbed down and up, and he came back to where Trask stood.
Isle o' Dreams|Frederick F. Moore
Two engineers sawed nearly through the mast at its base, while the others cleared away the light shrouds and forestay.
The Wreck of the Titan|Morgan Robertson
Bidding the mate hang a riding light on the forestay, Lowry got his night glasses, and turned them upon the fire.
Tom Gerrard|Louis Becke
Needless to say, we had hoisted no lantern on the forestay since the night the other boats had driven away from us or gone down.
Foe-Farrell|Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

They had hung a red light on the forestay, and a white light over her port quarter, and lights flitted about her gangway.
The Wreck of the Grosvenor, Volume 3 of 3|William Clark Russell

British Dictionary definitions for forestay

forestay

/ (ˈfɔːˌsteɪ) /

noun

nautical an adjustable stay leading from the truck of the foremast to the deck, stem, or bowsprit, for controlling the motion or bending of the mast

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012