foreyard

American  

[fawr-yahrd, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌjɑrd, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

1. a yard on the lower mast of a square-rigged foremast of a ship used to support the foresail.

2. a yard on the lowest spar of the foremast of a topsail schooner used to hold out the clews of the topsail or lower topsails.

3. a yard forming the main lower mast of a ketch or yawl used to support a square course.

---

foreyard British  

/ ˈfɔːˌjɑːd /

noun

1. nautical a yard for supporting the foresail of a square-rigger

---

Etymology

Origin of foreyard

First recorded in 1620–30; fore- + yard ²

Example Sentences

We had already lost our foreyard, which had tumbled down across the fo'c'sle, bringing with it a litter of ropes, blocks, and torn canvas.

From The Quest of the 'Golden Hope' A Seventeenth Century Story of Adventure by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

Finding that he was not likely to gain any progress this day, he sent the carpenter ashore to prepare a new foreyard, and in the mean time prepared to make an extraordinary experiment on board.

From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 11 by Johnson, Rossiter

It took a good while to do this, and once, while working on the foreyard, Jack was delighted to find himself by his captain's side.

From Marcy The Blockade Runner by White, George G. (George Gorgas)

It was this peculiarity of theirs, combined with the large foreyard, more than twice the length of the boat p. 92which caused the rig to fall into disuse. 

From The Handbook to the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk & Suffolk by Davies, G. Christopher

Roger’s duty required him to remain on deck; Charlie Ross ran up with the two other midshipmen to the foreyard to superintend the operation of taking in a reef.

From Roger Willoughby A Story of the Times of Benbow by Webb, Archibald