1
or less commonly fairleader
: a block, ring, or strip of plank with holes that serves as a guide for the running rigging or any ship's rope and keeps it from chafing
2
: a course of running ship's rope that avoids all chafing
Examples of fairlead in a Sentence
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This hunk of billet aluminum solves both problems by providing a closed shackle mount that’s designed to fit snug with the winch’s fairlead.
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Wes Siler, Outside Online, 12 Nov. 2020
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Wes Siler, Outside Online, 12 Nov. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Fairlead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairlead. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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