main-brace

To-night you have liberty to splice the main-brace, or whatever your expression is for getting jolly drunk; in the morning you will be sobriety itself, sad, and wise, and aching.

Mary Anerley Richard Doddridge 2004

“Against the wind he now steers for the open jaw,” murmured Starbuck to himself, as he coiled the new-hauled main-brace upon the rail.

Moby Dick; or the Whale 2002

He had been wounded in the head by a splinter, and was sitting on a gun, encouraging his men, when, just as the AMAZON showed her stern to the Trekroner battery, his clerk was killed by his side; and another shot swept away several marines who were hauling in the main-brace.

The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson Southey, Robert, 1774-1843 1993

And you know we both used to long for the sun to get above the fore-yard, and for the afternoon middle watch, that we might splice the main-brace.

Select Temperance Tracts American Tract Society

Trunnell passed a line over the main-brace bumpkin, and held the tossing craft away from the ship's side until a bridle could be bent and the ladies hoisted aboard.

Mr. Trunnell, Mate of the Ship "Pirate"

Bougainville, where liberty, equality, and fraternity had their home, and where Joseph bounded when orders for the figurative splicing of the main-brace came from the tables.

Mystic Isles of the South Seas. Frederick O'Brien 1900

Mr. Falcon, splice the main-brace, and call the watch.

Great Sea Stories Various 1897

His clerk was killed by his side; and by another shot, several of the marines, while hauling on the main-brace, shared the same fate.

The Life of Nelson Mahan, A. T. 1897

A sudden brisk shout, "Mainsail haul!" broke the spell, and in the noisy cries and rush overhead of the men running away with the main-brace we two, down in my cabin, came together in our usual position by the bed-place.

'Twixt Land and Sea Joseph Conrad 1890

"Pass the word to serve out a tot of grog to each man; let them splice the main-brace once more before they die," said Seymour, grimly, amid a chorus of approving murmurs from the sailors, as he walked slowly along the lines, greeting men here and there with plain, bluff words of cheer, which brought smiles of pleasure to their stern, weather-beaten faces.

For Love of Country A Story of Land and Sea in the Days of the Revolution Cyrus Townsend Brady 1890