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A fore-and-aft sail, abaft the foremast or the mainmast, hoisted upon a small supplementary mast and set with a gaff and no boom; a trysail carried at the foremast or mainmast; -- named after its inventor, Knight Spencer, of England [1802]. Spencer mast, a small mast just abaft the foremast or mainmast, for hoisting th…

Rounded like a sphere; sphere-shaped; hence, symmetrical; complete; perfect.

les with the mast or the keel, and parallel to the horizon; -- said of the yards of a square-rigged vessel when they are so braced.

down to some other, or to some part of the vessel. Those which lead forward are called fore-and-aft stays; those which lead to the vessel's side are called backstays. See Illust. of Ship. In stays, or Hove in stays (Naut.), in the act or situation of staying, or going about from one tack to another. R. H. Dana, Jr. -…

Having a stern of a particular shape; -- used in composition; as, square-sterned.

Asiatic deer (Rucervus Duvaucelli) of India. -- Swamp hen. (Zoöl.) (a) An Australian azure-breasted bird (Porphyrio bellus); -- called also goollema. (b) An Australian water crake, or rail (Porzana Tabuensis); -- called also little swamp hen.

The part of a sail to which the tack is usually fastened; the foremost lower corner of fore-and-aft sails, as of schooners (see Illust. of Sail).

See Terre-tenant.

t theorems (Coleridge. By the theorems, Which your polite and terser gallants practice, I re-refine the court, and civilize Their barbarous natures. Massinger.

Bred from the best blood through a long line; pure-blooded; -- said of stock, as horses. Hence, having the characteristics of such breeding; mettlesome; courageous; of elegant form, or the like. -- n.

In a square-rigged vessel, the sail next above the lowermost sail on a mast. This sail is the one most frequently reefed or furled in working the ship. In a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, the sail set upon and above the gaff. See Cutter, Schooner, Sail, and Ship. Topsail schooner. (Naut.) See Schooner, and Illustration in…

To come to; to reach; to attain to. The god, vindictive, doomed them never more-Ah, men unblessed! -- to touch their natal shore. Pope.

A fore-and-aft sail, bent to a gaff, and hoisted on a lower mast or on a small mast, called the trysail mast, close abaft a lower mast; -- used chiefly as a storm sail. Called also spencer. Totten.

the wind with the foresail on one side and the mainsail on the other; also said of a square-rigged vessel which has her studding sails set. Cf. Goosewinged. -- Wing case (Zoöl.), one of the anterior wings of beetles, and of some other insects, when thickened and used to protect the hind wings; an elytron; -- called a…

= Wire-wound gun.

or as thyself. Gal. v. 14. She said; but at the happy word "he lives," My father stooped, re- fathered, o'er my wound. Tennyson. There is only one other point on which I offer a word of remark. Dickens. By word of mouth, orally; by actual speaking. Boyle. -- Compound word. See under Compound, a. -- Good word, commend…

Either half of a square-rigged vessel's yard, from the center or mast to the end.

A fore-and-aft-rigged vessel with a mainmast stepped a little farther forward than in a sloop and carrying a mainsail and jibs, with a jigger mast far aft, usually placed abaft the rudder post.

Having two masts with fore-and-aft sails, but differing from a schooner in that the after mast is very small, and stepped as far aft as possible. See Illustration in Appendix.