Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The sail hung from the foretopmast.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun nautical the sail draped from the foretopmast

Etymologies

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Examples

  • At five P. M., the foresail and foretopsail were set, the rafts were cut away, and the ship bore for the Mauritius.

    Roundabout Papers 2006

  • The wind was blowing from the sea; the jib and the foretopsail were hoisted, and the vessel gradually approached the island.

    The Mysterious Island 2005

  • The wind was blowing from the sea; the jib and the foretopsail were hoisted, and the vessel gradually approached the island.

    The Mysterious Island 2005

  • But the morning after, the wind changed, and the captain ordered the men to put up the foresail, and brigantine and foretopsail, which greatly lessened the rolling of the vessel.

    In Search of the Castaways 2003

  • However, Spring knew his business; he took the wheel himself, and with only the foretopsail spread we drifted slowly between the green banks, the leadsmen chanting quietly, and the first hint of dawn beginning to lighten the sky over the black jungle mass astern.

    Flash For Freedom Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1971

  • However, Spring knew his business; he took the wheel himself, and with only the foretopsail spread we drifted slowly between the green banks, the leadsmen chanting quietly, and the first hint of dawn beginning to lighten the sky over the black jungle mass astern.

    Flash For Freedom Fraser, George MacDonald, 1925- 1971

  • Jack thought they had weathered the worst of it, when the foresheet parted and the clew of the foresail, going through the lower foretopsail, split it in ribbons.

    Teddy The Story of a Little Pickle

  • She still came on at a spanking pace; but her canvas was reefed down rapidly until there was nothing left but the foretopsail, flying jib and the spanker.

    Swept Out to Sea Clint Webb Among the Whalers W. Bertram Foster

  • So, fearing that we might get pooped, we now furled the foretopsail and lay-to under our close-reefed maintopsail and storm staysails; thus awaiting what might further be in store for us, although it did not then seem possible that anything could be worse!

    Crown and Anchor Under the Pen'ant John B. [Illustrator] Greene

  • Looking in the direction Bulger pointed, he saw that the foretopsail sheet block had fallen on deck, within an inch of where he would have been but for the intervention of Bulger's hook.

    In Clive's Command A Story of the Fight for India Herbert Strang

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