royal brace

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royal brace

The sailor checks the royal brace on the tall ship.

Definition

Noun: 1. A specific nautical fitting: A "royal brace" is a type of rope (brace) on a sailing ship. Its specific function is to control, secure, and adjust the angle of the royal mast or the yard (the horizontal spar) on the royal mast.

Usage Notes
  • This is a highly specialized, historical term from the age of sail.
  • It is a compound noun where "royal" specifies the type of mast (the royal mast, which is a small mast above the topgallant mast) and "brace" specifies the type of rigging (a rope used to swing a yard horizontally).
  • It is used almost exclusively in historical, maritime, or model-making contexts.
Examples
  • The sailors hauled on the royal brace to trim the sail for the changing wind.
  • During the storm, securing the royal brace was a dangerous task high in the rigging.
  • The model ship's instructions included a diagram showing where to attach the royal brace.
Advanced Usage
  • The term would be used in technical descriptions of sailing ship rigging, historical novels, or maritime archaeology reports.
  • It is part of a larger set of precise terms for ship's rigging (e.g., main brace, topgallant brace).
Variants and Related Words
  • Brace (n): The general term for a rope attached to the end of a yard, used to turn it horizontally.
  • Royal (adj/n): In this context, refers to the "royal" mast, sail, or yard, which is the fourth section of mast above the deck on a square-rigged ship.
  • Rigging (n): The general system of ropes, chains, and fittings used to support and control the masts, sails, and yards of a sailing vessel.
Synonyms
  • There is no direct single-word synonym. The closest descriptive phrase would be "royal yard control line" or "brace for the royal yard."
Related Phrases
  • To brace the yards: The action of using the braces to adjust the yards. A sailor might be ordered to "brace the royal yards sharp up."
  • Main brace: The brace attached to the yard on the mainmast. "Splicing the main brace" was an idiom for issuing an extra ration of rum.
royal brace

The sailor checks the royal brace on the tall ship.

Noun
  1. a brace to secure the royal mast