forestay
Americannoun
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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.
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a stay leading aft and upwards toward the mainmast of a sloop, knockabout, cutter, ketch, yawl, or dandy.
noun
Etymology
Origin of forestay
First recorded in 1325–75, forestay is from the Middle English word forstay. See fore-, stay 3
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.
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
And this, I see, must be the topmast backstay; and this the forestay; and that the topmast stay.
From Ernest Bracebridge School Days by Thomas, William I.
The riding-light, still burning brightly on the forestay, though the sun was now above the horizon, showed that we had lost all regard for routine.
From The Brassbounder A Tale of the Sea by Bone, David W.
Easy enough: I swung myself up by the schooner's forestay.
From Shining Ferry by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
