yard-rope

English

Alternative forms

• yard rope, yardrope

Noun

yard-rope (plural yard-ropes)

1. (nautical) A rope that goes through a block or sheave at the top of a mast that is used for hoisting or lowering a yard; gantline.
   • 1841, Benjamin J. Totten, Naval Text-book: Letters to the Midshipmen of the United States Navy, page 57:

     Trice down the jack-block, by letting go the halyards and hauling down on the yard-rope. Cast off the yard-rope from the slings of the yard, and hook the tye to its thimble; haul taut the halyards, and square the yard by the lists and braces.

   • 1866, Stephen Bleecker Luce, Seamanship:

     Have hands by the braces and lifts , man the yard-rope, and when ready, sway up on the yard-rope, and lower lift, steadying the yard by the braces.

   • 2012, John M'Leod Murphy, W. N. Jeffers, Spars and Rigging: From Nautical Routine, page 1849:

     But this plan is manifestly too expensive and troublesome to meet with much encouragement in the merchant service —a yard-rope being also requisite, in case of sending the yard up or down.