A strong rope or cable that runs from the top of a ship's mast down to the front of the ship to keep the mast steady and upright.
From Old English 'fore-' (front) + 'stay' (a rope or cable that steadies something). The term emerged in maritime terminology around the 16th century when sailing vessels required multiple support cables.
The forestay is one of the most critical parts of a ship's rigging—if it snaps, the mast can snap too! Sailors developed incredibly specific names for every rope because each one had a unique, life-or-death job.
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