forestay

American  

[fawr-stey, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌsteɪ, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

1. 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.

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

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forestay British  

/ ˈfɔːˌsteɪ /

noun

1. 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

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Etymology

Origin of forestay

First recorded in 1325–75, forestay is from the Middle English word forstay. See fore-, stay ³

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

forestay

As we approached Molokai at night in 25-knot winds the chute became progressively harder to manage and ultimately wrapped itself on the forestay.

From Time Magazine Archive

On the morning of the seventh day out, she had covered 800 miles and was making splendid headway, with her mainsail, foresail, forestay sail and jib set and full.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then he continued his weary ascent till he reached the summit of the cliffs, where he saw the boat made fast to the wreck, and the mate and passenger clinging to the forestay.

From The Coming Wave The Hidden Treasure of High Rock by Optic, Oliver

Then the lantern in the forestay bobbed down and up, and he came back to where Trask stood.

From Isle o' Dreams by Coleman, Ralph P. (Ralph Pallen)

Every time she rose the jib let out a hundredweight of sea-water; the sprit buckled and cracked, and I looked at the splice in the forestay to see if it yet held.

From Hills and the Sea by Belloc, Hilaire