forestay

forestay [fawr-stey, fohr-] ExamplesWord Origin noun

1. a stay leading aft and upward from the stem or knightheads of a vessel to the head of the fore lower mast; the lowermost stay of a foremast.
2. a stay leading aft and upwards toward the mainmast of a sloop, knockabout, cutter, ketch, yawl, or dandy.

Origin of forestay First recorded in 1325–75, forestay is from the Middle English word forstay. See fore-, stay3 Examples from the Web for forestay Historical Examples of forestay

A lantern was hoisted on the forestay, and all hands were soon asleep.

Little By Little

William Taylor Adams

So saying, Tom Virtue took his place in the bow, holding on by the forestay.

Among Malay Pirates

G. A. Henty

Hoisted well up, as it should be, right under the forestay, it is high enough to catch the wind between the seas.

Yachting Vol. 1

Various.

Her spinnaker bellied against the topmast stay and forestay, and formed at once a backsail, if anything.

Yachting Vol. 1

Various.

A lamp hung on the forestay as a beacon for the boats and one could see the sweep of planks and line of the rail.

Wyndham’s Pal

Harold Bindloss

British Dictionary definitions for forestay forestay noun

1. nautical an adjustable stay leading from the truck of the foremast to the deck, stem, or bowsprit, for controlling the motion or bending of the mast