brail
/breil/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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
- a small rope (one of several) used to draw a sail in
- a small net used to draw fish into a boat
Verb
- haul fish aboard with brails
- take in a sail with a brail