brail

Meanings

Noun

• A small rope used to truss up sails.
• A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk's wing.
• A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.
• A rope or line used to suspend lights or scenery in a certain position.
• The feathers around a hawk's rump.

Verb

• To reef, shorten or strike sail using brails.

Origin

• From Middle English brayle, from Old French braiel, from Medieval Latin bracale (from bracae).