footrope

footrope [foo t-rohp] ExamplesWord Origin noun Nautical.

1. the portion of the boltrope to which the lower edge of a sail is sewn.
2. a rope suspended a few feet beneath a yard, bowsprit, jib boom, or spanker boom to give a footing for a person handling sails.

Origin of footrope First recorded in 1765–75; foot + rope Examples from the Web for footrope Historical Examples of footrope

A footrope ran below the spar; one could balance oneself by its help and he vaguely distinguished somebody close by.

Wyndham’s Pal

Harold Bindloss

British Dictionary definitions for footrope footrope noun nautical

1. the part of a boltrope to which the foot of a sail is stitched
2. a rope fixed so as to hang below a yard to serve as a foothold