Naut. [? A prep.1 + TRY.] Of a ship in a gale: Kept by a judicious balance of canvas with her bows to the sea.
1611. Cotgr., Cappéer, A ship to lye a-try.
1628. Digby, Voy. Medit. (1868), 86. We tooke in our fore course and lay a trie with our maine course.
a. 1733. North, Lives (1826), II. 316. Sometimes a-try and sometimes a-hull we busked it out.
1867. in Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk.
