| 释义 |
topgallant, n. and a.|tɒpˈgælənt, təˈgælənt|
Also 6 -galand.
[f. top n.1 9 + gallant a., as making a brave or gallant show in comparison with the lower tops. The guess that the name was orig. top-garland (from garland n. 8) is disproved by the early evidence, and does not suit the sense.]
A. n.
†1. Naut. A top (top n.1 9) at the head of the topmast, and thus in a loftier position than the original top-castle or top. Obs.
The thing was in use before the name: see quot. 1497, where it is described without a name. The name was prob. obs. by 1600, when sense 2 came in.
[1497Naval Accts. Henry VII 278 The Regent, Also a Toppe maste aboue the mayne Toppe maste, Rotteyn perused & consumyd to noght. A sayle to the same.. Also viij Shrowdes belongyng to the same.] 1514Inv. Henri Grace de Dieu in Oppenheim Admin. Roy. Navy I. 374 Toppe Galant apon the foretopmast..j. Ibid. 375 The top Galant apon the mayne topmast..j. 1514Inv. in United Serv. Mag. (1910) Mar. 581 The top galant. The mast to the same .j. The sayle yerd. 1569Sparke Sir J. Hawkins' 2nd Voy. (Hakl. Soc.) 50 The Jesus also bare a light in her toppegallant. 1590Spenser Vis. World's Van. ix, A goodly ship with banners bravely dight, And flag in her top-gallant, I espide.
2. pl. Short for topgallant sails (see B. 1 a below), the sails above the topsail and topgallant.
This use appears to have come in as sense 1 became obs.
1599Dallam in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.) 9 They..made away with all the sayle they had, drablings and topgalands, but..we came nearer and nearer unto them. 1647Ward Simp. Cobler (1843) 49 When Kings are hailing up their top-gallants, Subjects lay hold on their slablines. 1694Motteux Rabelais iv. lxiv, A fresh gale..began to fill the..Top-gallants. 1833Marryat P. Simple xlix, She had..got up..jury-masts, with topgallants for topsails.
3. a. transf. (from 1 and 2) The most elevated (lit. or fig.) part or member of anything; see quots., and also top and topgallant (top n.1 9 c).
1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 388 If these two gallaunt Gyaunts apply no stronger pillers..to vphold the Majesticall State of theyr toppegallaunt of Rome. 1618G. Strode Anat. Mortalitie 83 The Peacocke..when he..seeth his black feete,.. vaileth his top-gallant, and seemeth to sorrow. 1656I. Bourne Def. Script. 15 A faith in Christ..was the top gallant of a Christian. 1878Stevenson Edinburgh (1889) 29 A few spires, the stone top-gallants of the city.
b. fig. The highest point or pitch; summit.
1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iv. 202 Which to the high top gallant of my ioy, Must be my conuoy in the secret night. 1666Sancroft Lex Ignea 17 The very Top-gallant of all our Glory. 1679C. Nesse Antichrist 149 From..the top-gallant of his Luciferian pride. 1862Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xiii. ix. (1872) V. 92 He seems to himself a man at the topgallant of his wishes.
†c. Used for the nonce as an intensive of gallant.
1701Farquhar Sir H. Wildair iv. ii, And such as he are all those topgallants that daily haunt my house, ruin your honour, and disturb my quiet.
B. attrib. or adj.
1. a. Of, pertaining to, or having the position of top-gallant: topgallant mast, topgallant sail, topgallant yard, the mast, sail, or yard above the topmast and topsail; the third mast, sail, or yard above the deck; † topgallant royals, early name for royals (royal B. 5).
Often forming with the n. an attrib. phrase, as topgallant-mast head, topgallant-sail yard, topgallant-yard man.
1514Inv. Henri Grace de Dieu in Oppenheim Admin. Roy. Navy I. 374 Bowlynes to the topgalant yerd... Lyftes to the foretopgalant yerd with iiij single polies. Ibid. 377 Topgalant Sayle. 1514Inv. Kateryn Forteleza in United Serv. Mag. Mar. (1910) 581 Top galant, top galant mast, shrowdes to the same .vj. 1588State Papers Dom. Eliz. CCXX. lf. 54 (P.R.O.), The Revendge..A mayne topgallant saile made of an olde myzon. Ibid. lf. 71 The Dreadnoughte..one mayne topgallant saile, servic[eable]. 1626Capt. Smith Accid. Yng. Seamen 12 The top gallant mast, the marine top gallant sayle yeard, the trucke or flagge staffe. 1627― Seaman's Gram. vii. 31 There is also your maine top-saile, and fore top-saile, with their top-gallant sailes. 1634Sir T. Herbert Trav. 7 Sometimes the surges or sea-flashes doe rebound top-gallant height. 1671Lond. Gaz. No. 544/3 He caused his Top-gallant Masts and Yards to be taken down, and his Galleries and Quarter Decks to be covered with Canvas made for the purpose, to the end they might take him for a Merchant man. 1692in Capt. Smith's Seaman's Gram. i. xiv. 64, 7 Main Topsail Lifts, 8 Topgallant Lifts. 1704J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, Top-Gallant-Masts of a Ship, are two, viz. Maintop-gallant-Mast, and Foretop-gallant-Mast; And these two are small round Pices of Timber, set on to their respective Top-Masts; on the Top of which Masts are set the Flagg-staffs. 1756Gentl. Mag. XXVI. 506/1 Making all the sail they possibly could set to get from us, with top gallant ryalls, lower top-mast, and top-gallant steering sails, keeping a good full. 1835Sir J. Ross Narr. 2nd Voy. iii. 32 There were two seamen on the topgallant yard. 1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast iv, We sprang aloft immediately, and furled the royals and topgallant-sails. c1860H. Stuart Seaman's Catech. 45 The topgallant yard men..will go aloft. 1891Times 21 Oct. 7/4 The Hoffnung,..having..foretopmast and topgallant, with yards and sails attached, carried away; also main topgallant mast with yards.
b. See quotations.
1839Marryat Phant. Ship viii, On her forecastle another small deck ran from the knight-heads, which was called the top-gallant forecastle. 1869E. J. Reed Shipbuild. xii. 238 It is customary to complete the topsides above this gunwale by, what is termed, a top-gallant bulwark formed of wooden berthing and stanchions.
2. Allowing topgallant sails to be used, as topgallant gale, topgallant breeze, topgallant weather.
1697W. Dampier Voy. round World (1699) 79 We had it [wind] at E.S.E. where it stood a considerable time and blew a fresh Top-gallant gale. 1769Falconer Dict. Marine (1789), Tems à perroquet, a top-gallant gale; top-gallant weather. 1798Authentic Narrative Battle of Nile 21 The wind was at this time N.N.W. and blew what Seamen call a Top⁓gallant breeze. 1806A. Duncan Nelson 68 The wind..blew what seamen call a top-gallant breeze. It was necessary to take in the royals when the squadron hauled upon a wind. 1873Routledge's Yng. Gent. Mag. July 494/1 A good ‘topgallant breeze’ sprung up.
3. fig. Lofty, grand, fine, topping: cf. A. 3.
1613Sylvester Lachr. Lachr. B iv, Stript..Of guiddie-Gaudes, Top-gallant Tires and Towers. 1650Fuller Pisgah iv. vi. 108 Sure I am, the Babylonians were more top-gallant then the Jews, and quite put them down with bravery. 1735Pope Donne's Sat. iv. 230 Top-gallant he, and she in all her trim. 1849Cupples Green Hand ix, Here he [the sailor] came out with a regular string of top⁓gallant oaths. |