forestay

IPA: fˈɔrʌstˈeɪ

(nautical) A stay that extends from the top of the foremast to the bow or bowsprit of a sailing ship

(transitive) To stay beforehand; secure or fasten with or as with a forestay.
(transitive) To stay, delay, postpone, or hinder beforehand; forestall; prevent.

Examples of "forestay" in Sentences

Set foresail and forestay – sail and steered south – east by south.
• New watertight bulkhead glassed in to hold new inner forestay chainplate
The forestay is attached to the stem fitting, an integral part of the bow construction.
As the sail drops to the deck, one of the crew pulls the luff of the sail down the forestay.
There are four major parts of the rig that may fail: the mast, forestay, backstay, and shrouds.
The bow is long, and curves into a lofty stem, like that of a Roman galley, finished with a beak head, to secure the forestay of the mast.
We had to adjust the lengths of strops from which our so-called forestay hangs several times in order to create the right bend in the mast again.
If the foresails are labeled according to their foot length relative to the distance between the mast and forestay, then percentages are used-100 percent, 120 percent, 150 percent, etc.
In fact, because I have an overcautious habit of pulling up the storm jib on the inner forestay whenever the weather forecast is bad and the wind rises above about 25 knots, I can actually claim to have left the safety of the cockpit in over 35 knots of wind only once.
Burke and Sandon proceeded to tie a rope round his waist, which they afterwards fastened to the forestay; then, in a way which provoked shouts of laughter from their mates, they gave the unfortunate man a shove, and sent him rolling down like a bundle of dirty clothes on to the forecastle.