brail

brail
    n 1: a small net used to draw fish into a boat
    2: a small rope (one of several) used to draw a sail in
    v 1: take in a sail with a brail
    2: haul fish aboard with brails
    

Plaice \Plaice\, n. [F. plaise, plais, prob. fr. L. platessa
   flatish, plaice. See {Place}.] (Zool.)
   (a) A European food fish ({Pleuronectes platessa}), allied to
       the flounder, and growing to the weight of eight or ten
       pounds or more.
   (b) A large American flounder ({Paralichthys dentatus};
       called also {brail}, {puckermouth}, and {summer
       flounder}. The name is sometimes applied to other allied
       species. [Written also {plaise}.]
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   {Plaice mouth}, a mouth like that of a plaice; a small or wry
      mouth. [R.] --B. Jonson.
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Brail \Brail\, v. t. (Naut.)
   To haul up by the brails; -- used with up; as, to brail up a
   sail.
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Brail \Brail\, n. [OE. brayle furling rope, OF. braiol a band
   placed around the breeches, fr.F. braies, pl., breeches, fr.
   L. braca, bracae, breeches, a Gallic word; cf. Arm. bragez.
   Cf. {Breeches}.]
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   1. (Falconry) A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk's
      wing.
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   2. pl. (Naut.) Ropes passing through pulleys, and used to
      haul in or up the leeches, bottoms, or corners of sails,
      preparatory to furling.
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   3. A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.
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