noun
- a small triangular or quadrilateral sail set on a ship’s mast during stormy weather
Usage: nautical
Examples
- The crew hoisted the trysail as the storm intensified.
- With winds reaching gale force, they replaced the mainsail with a trysail.
- The small trysail helped maintain control of the vessel in rough seas.
- During the hurricane, only the trysail and a storm jib were set.
- The captain ordered the trysail to be rigged before the weather worsened.
- Traditional sailing ships carried trysails for emergency use in heavy weather.