fore-and-aft sail

noun

any of various sails, as jib-headed sails, gaff sails, lugsails, lateen sails, spritsails, staysails, and jibs, that do not set on yards and whose normal position, when not trimmed, is in a fore-and-aft direction amidships.

First recorded in 1810–20

Spencer, spens′ėr, n. (in ships and barques) a fore-and-aft sail abaft the fore and main masts.

A fore-and-aft sail of various shapes set on the mizen stay.

Gybe, or Jibe, to; to shift over the boom of a fore-and-aft sail.

The snow was practically a brig, carrying a fore-and-aft sail on the mainmast, with a square sail directly above it.

The act of shifting over the boom of a fore-and-aft sail from one side of the vessel to the other.

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