mainsheet

main·sheet

(mān′shēt′)

The rope that controls the angle at which a mainsail is trimmed and set.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

mainsheet

(ˈmeɪnˌʃiːt)

(Nautical Terms) nautical the line used to control the angle of the mainsail to the wind

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

main•sheet

(ˈmeɪnˌʃit)

n.

a sheet of a mainsail.

[1475–85]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

mainsheet - (nautical) a line (rope or chain) that regulates the angle at which a sail is set in relation to the wind

weather sheet, shroud, tack, sheet

sailing, seafaring, navigation - the work of a sailor

futtock shroud - shroud that is part of a ship's rigging

line - something (as a cord or rope) that is long and thin and flexible; "a washing line"

ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight

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References in classic literature ?

But he was deflected by the crash of the mainsheet blocks on the stout deck- traveller, as the mainsail, emptied of the wind and feeling the wind on the other side, swung crazily across above him.

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Tell him to slack off the mainsheet, and before you know it, he'd drop the peak.

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The mariner who keeps his mainsheet taut, And will not slacken in the gale, is like To sail with thwarts reversed, keel uppermost.

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The rest of you tail aft to the mainsheet! Lively now!

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If the mainsheet is 24 pages, grab a few old 24 page papers from another day and set the machine up.

WHEN EVERY MINUTE COUNTS: Exploring the best time savers in production

The webs consist of a non-sticky, thick horizontal mainsheet anchored from below, with many knock-down threads above the mainsheet.

Bad tenants: female sheet-web spiders, Cambridgea foliata (Araneae: Desidae), lose feeding opportunities when cohabiting with males

I picked up a lot of practical sailing knowledge from them in terms of mainsheet trim, spinnaker trim, helming and much more.

Ticket to ride

But it's nice to have had two good days in a row." Robertson's cautious optimism was mirrored by Greenhalgh, Oman Air's mainsheet trimmer and tactician: "We were really pleased to extend our lead, and happy with most of the day, sailing really well.

Sailing: Oman Air extend lead over Extreme Sailing Series rivals in Hamburg

He said the team -- which includes mainsheet trimmer and tactician Pete Greenhalgh, headsail trimmer Ed Smyth and bowman James Wierzbowski -- would make sure they come out of the blocks when racing resumes in Madeira next month.

ALINGHI CLAIMS ACT 2

He was sailing in the B3 class and was handling the mainsheet of the boat.

Chris is on the crest of a wave with win

"There were times when the weather was so horrific the boat was tipped over at a 30-degree angle and we had to battle hard to grab the mainsheet.

We were 2700 miles at sea and sometimes the weather was so horrific we battled to stay afloat. In those scary moments I knew that my brother was watching over me - Sailor Linda McManus; Sister crosses Atlantic to help charity; BRAVE MUM'S EPIC VOYAGE IN TRIBUTE TO LOST SIBLING

"I was on mainsheet last year so I'm looking forward to being in the driving seat this year."