sailcloth
Noun: 1. A strong, durable fabric: A heavy, tightly woven material, traditionally made from cotton canvas or linen, designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. Its primary historical and core use is for making sails for boats and ships. 2. A fabric for outdoor and heavy-duty use: Due to its strength and durability, sailcloth is also used for making tents, awnings, heavy-duty bags, and other items requiring robust material.
- Primary Meaning (Sails):
- The old schooner's sails were made of weathered sailcloth.
- They repaired the tear in the sailcloth before the race.
- Secondary Meaning (Other Durable Goods):
- The expedition used tents made from heavy sailcloth.
- This stylish tote bag is crafted from recycled sailcloth.
- Material Specification: The term can specify the type of material used in a product's construction, emphasizing durability and a nautical heritage.
- The designer collection features jackets made from modern, lightweight sailcloth.
- Canvas: A closely related heavy, plain-woven fabric often used interchangeably with "sailcloth," though canvas can be made from various fibers and used for many purposes (e.g., paintings, shoes).
- Duck: A type of durable, plain-woven cotton fabric similar to canvas, often used for sails and workwear.
- Canvas
- Tarp (when referring to the material, not the finished product)
- Heavy-duty fabric
(While there are no direct idioms using "sailcloth," it is conceptually linked to sailing idioms.) * To trim one's sails: To adapt to circumstances, often by reducing costs or ambitions. This idiom references adjusting the sails (sailcloth), which is the literal action. * After the market downturn, the company had to trim its sails.
- a strong fabric (such as cotton canvas) used for making sails and tents