Naut. [f. STAY sb.1] A triangular sail hoisted upon a stay. Often with defining word prefixed.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. ii. 18. Hoise up Main Stay-sail, and Mizen Stay-sail.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. iv. 163. Their top-gallant sails and stay-sails all fluttering in the wind.
1806. A. Duncan, Life Nelson, 124. The Foudroyant’s … stay-sails … were all in tatters.
1899. F. T. Bullen, Log Sea-waif, 46. Some of the fore and afters had actually got staysails set, with the sheets hauled flat aft.
b. attrib.
1857. Dufferin, Lett. High Lat. (ed. 3), 300. The staysail sheet is let go.
1863. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 369. Staysail-netting, the netting above a vessel’s bowsprit, for stowing away the fore-topmast staysail.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Staysail-Stay, the stay on which a staysail is set.
