main brace
1Main brace — Main Main (m[=a]n), a. [From {Main} strength, possibly influenced by OF. maine, magne, great, L. magnus. Cf. {Magnate}.] 1. Very or extremely strong. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] That current with main fury ran. Daniel. [1913 Webster] 2. Vast; huge.… …
2main brace — noun the brace attached to the main yard of a sailing ship. Phrases splice the main brace historical (in the navy) serve out an extra tot of rum. [perh. from the issue of a tot of rum after the actual splicing of the main brace.] …
3main brace — noun Etymology: Middle English mayne brase, from mayne, mayn main + brase, brace brace more at brace 1. : the brace attached to a sailing ship s main yard 2. : the brace that transmits the load most directly from one of its terminal joints to the …
4main brace — Naut. a brace leading to a main yard. [1480 90] * * * …
5main|brace — …
6main-brace — …
7splice the main brace — historical (in the navy) serve out an extra tot of rum. [perh. from the issue of a tot of rum after the actual splicing of the main brace.] → main brace …
8splice the main brace — ► splice the main brace Brit. historical (in the navy) serve out an extra tot of rum. Main Entry: ↑splice …
9To splice the main brace — Splice Splice (spl[imac]s), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spliced} (spl[imac]st); p. pr. & vb. n. {Splicing}.] [D. splitsen, splitten; akin to G. splissen, Sw. splissa, Dan. splisse, and E. split; from the dividing or splitting the ends into separate… …
10main-brace, splice the — Drink. Distribute drink …
