What is "halliard"

Usage examples of "halliard".

Then, on the foredeck, a cry went up, hands clapped on to the halliard, and the forward lug began to rise.

They learned the difference between the mainmast and the mizzen, found that all the strong ropes that kept the masts erect and stiff were called stays, that the ropes that hoist sails are called halliards, and that sheets is the name given to the ropes that restrain the sails at the lower corner, and are used to haul them in more tightly when sailing close to the wind, or to ease them off when the wind is favourable.

From that time forth, whenever his ship was signaled in the offing, or he catted his anchor and stood out to sea, that ensign streamed from the royal halliards on the parliament house and the nation lifted their hats to it with spontaneous accord.

Men were up aloft, and the hands on deck had flaked and coiled halliards, braces, tacks and sheets.

High above, in a sudden breeze, flags and halliards snapped upon their staffs.

The topsail halliards were probably trailing alongside and saved him, as they have others under like circumstances.

Without more ado, Farrar, calling on me to give him a hand, eased down the halliards and began to close reef the mainsail.

There, clinging to the stout halliards of the sheet, he gazed with amazement at the long lines of black waves, each with its curling ridge of foam, racing in endless succession from out the inexhaustible west.

Men dashed out along the yards or scurried in frantic groups to add their weight to the braces and halliards.

Men who seconds earlier had been chatting and gossiping about what might be happening ashore were now silent and alert, standing to their guns, or grouped at halliards and braces for the next command.

But apart from that, sir, and the forward chain-pump choked, foretop halliards badly chafed, and bowsprit gammoning not what it might be, everything is shipshape, tolerably shipshape.

He set the jib in stops, made halliard and sheets ready, set up the main boom and removed the crutch, made fast the main sheet and removed all but two tie-ers from the sail.

He loosened the main sheet, cast off the tie-ers from the main, put the ship up to the wind, and ran forward to hoist both peak and main halliards.

The Surprise's royals, which were set flying, had already been bent to their yards, with the halliards hitched to the slings and the starboard arm stopped to them, the hands fidgeting to be at it.

This he directed on to the blood-strained, torn sleeves on Booth's duffle, let it travel on past the twisted, knotted piece of signal halliard and .