brail Sailing
■ noun ( brails ) small ropes that are led from the leech of a fore-and-aft sail to pulleys on the mast for temporarily furling it.
■ verb ( brail something up ) furl a sail by hauling on the brails.
Origin
ME: from OFr. braiel , from med. L. bracale 'girdle', from braca 'breeches'.