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parrel

or par·ral

[par-uh l]
noun
  1. Nautical. a sliding ring or collar of rope, wood, or metal that confines a yard or the jaws of a gaff to the mast but allows vertical movement.
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Origin of parrel

1425–75; late Middle English perell, variant of Middle English parail, aphetic variant of aparail apparel
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for parrel

Historical Examples

  • "I feel like my headt vas as pig as a parrel," answered Carl.

    Motor Matt's Daring Rescue

    Stanley R. Matthews

  • Some of the men ran to let go the haulyards and lower the sail, but the parrel jammed and the yard would not come down.

    She

    H. Rider Haggard

  • Spherical pieces of wood, termed bull's-eyes, having a hole through them, in which is inserted the rope of the parrel.

    The Sailor's Word-Book

    William Henry Smyth

  • The Parrel is a movable band-rope, used to fasten the yard to its respective mast.

  • The parrel cut, the yard was quickly topped and unrigged, and then lowered away on deck.

British Dictionary definitions for parrel

parrel

parral

noun
  1. nautical a ring that holds the jaws of a boom to the mast but lets it slide up and down
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Word Origin

C15: probably from obsolete aparail equipment, a variant of apparel
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

Word Origin and History for parrel

n.

late 15c., "binding that fixes a yard to a mast," from parel "equipment" (c.1400), earlier "apparel" (early 14c.), a shortening of apparel (n.).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper