Definition

1. Noun:

   • A small rope on a ship: A "brail" is one of several small ropes or lines used specifically on a sailing vessel to gather in or furl a sail, typically by pulling it toward the mast or spar.
   • A type of fishing net: A "brail" can also refer to a small dip net or a type of seine net used to lift fish from the water into a boat.

2. Verb:

   • To haul fish using a brail net: To "brail" means to catch or haul fish aboard a vessel using a brail net.
   • To gather a sail with brails: To "brail" a sail means to draw it in or secure it by pulling on the brail ropes.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The sailor quickly released the brail to let the sail out.
  • They used a brail to transfer the catch from the net to the hold.

• Verb:

  • The fishermen will brail the salmon directly into the boat.
  • We need to brail the mainsail before the storm hits.

Advanced Usage

• "To brail up": This phrasal verb specifically means to gather and secure a sail completely using its brails.
  • The crew brailed up the foresail as they entered the calm harbor.

Variants and Related Words

• Brailing (gerund/noun): The action of using a brail.
  • The brailing of the fish was done efficiently.

Synonyms

• Noun (rope): Line, cord.
• Noun (net): Dip net, scoop net.
• Verb (sail): Furl, gather.
• Verb (fish): Scoop, net.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Brail in: Similar to "brail up," meaning to pull a sail inwards.
  • Brail in the topsail to reduce our speed.

Related Idioms

There are no common idioms specifically centered on the word "brail."

Noun

1. a small rope (one of several) used to draw a sail in
2. a small net used to draw fish into a boat

Verb

1. haul fish aboard with brails
2. take in a sail with a brail