stunsail

American  

[stuhn-suhl] / ˈstʌn səl /

Or stuns'l

noun

1. studdingsail.

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stunsail British  

/ ˈstʌnsəl /

noun

1. another word for studdingsail

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Etymology

Origin of stunsail

First recorded in 1755–65; syncopated variant of studdingsail

Example Sentences

A deck cargo of coals was taken in, storm sails bent, extra gripes put on the boats, and anchors lashed; but, as generally turns out in such cases, neither of these preparations were more than ordinary necessary, for save a roll or two in Formosa's tumbling channel, the splitting of a stunsail boom, and the snapping of a rope now and then, the passage was a fairly smooth one.

From Project Gutenberg

In setting the starboard stunsail, John Irish, A.B., lost his hold of the scarping on the starboard fore-and-aft bridge, through the wood treacherously giving away with his weight, and, being unable to swim, the poor fellow soon sank exhausted, just as Joseph Summers had arrived on the spot.

From Project Gutenberg

A stunsail boom had been rigged out over the caisson, and rendered extremely fit for pedestrianism by plentiful libations of slush and soft soap.

From Project Gutenberg

Found the wind slight but for the first time quite fair in a due east, all the sails squared and also the stunsail out.

From Project Gutenberg

Bob felt horribly uncomfortable, for a moment, as the shot hummed overhead; cutting one of the stunsail booms in two, and making five fresh holes in the sails.

From Project Gutenberg