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Webster 1913 Edition


Brail

Brail

,
Noun.
[OE.
brayle
furling rope, OF.
braiol
a band placed around the breeches, fr.F.
braies
, pl., breeches, fr. L.
braca
,
bracae
, breeches, a Gallic word; cf. Arm.
bragez
. Cf.
Breeches
.]
1.
(Falconry)
A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk’s wing.
2.
pl.
(Naut.)
Ropes passing through pulleys, and used to haul in or up the leeches, bottoms, or corners of sails, preparatory to furling.
3.
A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.

Brail

,
Verb.
T.
(Naut.)
To haul up by the brails; – used with up;
as,
to brail
up a sail
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Brail

BRAIL

, n.
1.
A piece of leather to bind up a hawk's wing.
2.
In navigation, brails are ropes passing through pulleys,on the mizen mast and yard, and fastened to the aftmost leech of the sail in different places, to truss it up close. Also, all ropes employed to haul up the bottoms, lower corners and skirts of the other great sails, for the more ready furling of them.

BRAIL

,
Verb.
T.
To brail up, is to haul up into the brails, or to truss up with the brails.