mainsail en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈmeɪnsəl/
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈmeɪnseɪl/
Etymology
From main + sail.
Meanings
-
The largest (or only) sail on a sailing vessel.
The mainsail was "scandalised" - a nautical mode of describing a sail reefed at both ends[.]
1887, Mrs. Dominic D. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 16:Now stow the mainsail as follows, preferably with the sail still lying in the starboard cockpit: beginning at the head, fold the upper section so that the upper two battens are aligned together; then tightly roll the sail from the head down to the foot. Reinsert the sail into its bag.
(Can we date this quote?), “RS Quest Rigging Instructions”, in California State University, Sacramento, page 3:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| mainsails | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Translations (26)
es vela mayor (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · bg грот (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · mi rā turuturu matua (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · nrf grand' vaile (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · gd prìomh-sheòl (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · cmn 主帆 (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · it randa (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · it vela maestra (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · ca vela major (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · be грот (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · eo ĉefvelo (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · nb storseil (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · de Großsegel (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · pl grot (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · ca vela mestra (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · id layar agung (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · fr grand-voile (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · da storsejl (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · nl grootzeil (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · uk грот (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · ru грот (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · ga seol mór (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · eo grandvelo (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · fi isopurje (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · pt vela grande (largest sail on a sailing vessel) · cy prif hwyl (largest sail on a sailing vessel)