[brail] n [ME brayle, fr. AF braiel, fr. OF, strap] (15c) 1: a rope fastened to the leech of a sail and used for hauling the sail up or in
2: a dip net with which fish are hauled aboard a boat from a purse seine or trap
[2]brail vt (1625) 1: to take in (a sail) by the brails
2: to hoist (fish) by means of a brail