Naut. Forms: 5 iere, 7 ieare, ieere, 7–8 gear, 8–9 geer, jear, 7– jeer. [Origin unascertained.] Tackle for hoisting and lowering the lower yards. (Usually in pl.)
1495. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 188. Jeres for the Mayne takell. Ibid., 206. There is employed … iij hausers of vj ynch compas for makyng of ij mayne liftes and a mayne Jere.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Sea-men, 15. The cat harpings; a Ieare, leatch lines.
1672. Narborough, Jrnl., 9 Sept. Captain Fowles comander of his Mastie Ann was dismissed from his comande for beatinge one Mr Murfeild comander of a collier at the Jers.
1712. W. Rogers, Voy., 34. He was lash’d to the Main-Geers and drub’d.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 87. I caused him to be brought to the gears, with a halter about his neck, and be soundly whipped.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., II. 320. Jears, lifts, and brails, a seaman each attends.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 24. How will you reeve the jeers?
They are usually rove with a reeving line, a becket is fitted in one end of the reeving line, and both ends of the jeers.
b. Comb., as jeer-bitt, -block, -capstan, -pulley.
1495. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 203. Jere poleyes vith a shyver of Brasse.
1626. Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Sea-men, 13. A Ieare capsterne is onely in great ships to hoyse their sayles.
1706. Phillips, Jeer, or Jeer-Rope, a piece of Hawser made fast to the Main-Yard and Fore-Yard in great Ships, its use being to help to hoise up the Yard.
1768. J. Byron, Narr. Patagonia (ed. 2), 8. The straps of the fore jeer blocks breaking, the fore-yard came down.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Jeer-bitts, those to which the jeers are fastened and belayed.
