spritsail

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From sprit +‎ sail.

Noun

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spritsail (plural spritsails)

  1. (nautical) A form of three- or four-sided fore-and-aft sail and its rig, supporting the leech of the sail by means of a sprit.
    • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Great Storm Described, the Long-Boat Sent to Fetch Water, the Author Goes with It to Discover the Country. []”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. [] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: [] Benj[amin] Motte, [], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 151:
      Finding it was like to overblow, we took in our Sprit-ſail, and ſtood by to hand the Fore-ſail; but making foul Weather, we look'd the Guns were all faſt, and handed the Miſſen.

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