forestaff en · NOUN
Etymology
From fore- + staff.
Meanings
-
An instrument formerly used at sea for taking the altitudes of heavenly bodies, later replaced by the sextant.
with a Forestaff, take the Altitude of the North Star
1722, Andrew Wakely, The Mariner's Compass:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| forestaffs | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| forestaves | Number=Plur | lexicographic |