spanker
[
spang
-ker]
/ˈspæŋ kər/
noun
1.
Nautical
.
a fore-and-aft sail on the aftermost lower mast of a sailing vessel having three or more masts.
a designation given to the mast abaft a mizzenmast, usually the aftermost mast in any vessel.
2.
Informal.
a smartly moving person or animal, especially a fast horse.
3.
Chiefly New England.
something remarkably fine.
adjective
,
Nautical
4.
of or pertaining to a spanker mast or its rigging.
Origin
1745-55;
akin to
spanking
Examples from the web for
spanker
The triangular sails are called jibs or staysails, and the large sail at the stern is called the
spanker
.
Standing forward of the wheel and the fancy cabin skylight, the boom of the
spanker
sail looms overhead.
British Dictionary definitions for
spanker
spanker
/
ˈspæŋkə
/
noun
1.
(
nautical
) a fore-and-aft sail or a mast that is aftermost in a sailing vessel
2.
(
informal
) a person or animal that moves at a quick smart pace
3.
(
informal
) something outstandingly fine or large