fairlead

noun

fair·​lead ˈfer-ˌlēd How to pronounce fairlead (audio)
1
or less commonly fairleader : a block, ring, or strip of plank with holes that serves as a guide for the running rigging or any ship's rope and keeps it from chafing
2
: a course of running ship's rope that avoids all chafing

Examples of fairlead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This hunk of billet aluminum solves both problems by providing a closed shackle mount that’s designed to fit snug with the winch’s fairlead. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 12 Nov. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fairlead was in 1808

Dictionary Entries Near fairlead

Cite this Entry

“Fairlead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fairlead. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!