brail

¹brail

noun \ˈbrāl\

Definition of BRAIL

1

: a rope fastened to the leech of a sail and used for hauling the sail up or in

2

: a dip net with which fish are hauled aboard a boat from a purse seine or trap

Origin of BRAIL

Middle English brayle, from Anglo-French braiel belt, strap, brail, alteration of Old French braiuel belt, probably ultimately from Latin braca pants — more at breech

First Known Use: 15th century

Rhymes with BRAIL

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, frail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale

²brail

transitive verb

Definition of BRAIL

1

: to take in (a sail) by the brails

2

: to hoist (fish) by means of a brail

First Known Use of BRAIL

1625