halyard

American  

[hal-yerd] / ˈhæl yərd /

Or halliard

noun

1. any of various lines or tackles for hoisting a spar, sail, flag, etc., into position for use.

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halyard British  

/ ˈhæljəd /

noun

1. nautical a line for hoisting or lowering a sail, flag, or spar

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Etymology

Origin of halyard

1325–75; Middle English halier rope to haul with ( hale ², -ier ¹ ) with final syllable altered by association with yard ¹

Example Sentences

Flag Code states: “When flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak.”

From Seattle Times • Mar. 25, 2022

City lights twinkled; only the clinking of the flag’s metal halyard against the flagpole broke the silence.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 15, 2021

With his pockets filled with nails and the rope for a new halyard over his shoulder, he made his way slowly up the pole, hammering in footholds as he ascended.

From New York Times • Nov. 24, 2017

The rope whipped so fast beneath Adam’s airborne legs it sounded like a halyard in a hurricane, Hammond said.

From Washington Times • Jul. 26, 2014

Jerry loosed the genoa halyard and showed Dicey how to pull it down and hold it in at the same time.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt