Also 6 Sc. stoytene-, 7 studin-, 8 stutting-sail; and see STUNSAIL. [Of obscure etymology.
The earliest recorded form seems to point to adoption from MDu. or MLG. stôtinge, but this word is known only as n. of action from stôten to push, thrust, collide. Cf. however Du. stootlap sail-lining, stootkant border, which have some affinity of sense with the Eng. word. It has been suggested that the synonymous OF. estuinc, estoinc, estouin (mod.F. † estouine, 18th c.) may be an adoption of the Teut. word, the medial dental disappearing according to phonetic law. This, however, is not certain; the ordinary F. word for studding-sail is bonnette à étui, which suggests a derivation of estuinc from estui (mod.F. étui). The Breton misan a studincq, studding-sail, is adopted from English.
The ordinary nautical pronunciation is STUNSAIL.]
A sail set beyond the leeches of any of the principal sails during a fair wind.
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. (1873), 42. The galliasse pat furtht hir stoytene sales.
a. 1618. Ralegh, Invent. Shipping, 16. To the courses we have devised studding Sayles, Top gallant Sayles [etc.].
1627. Capt. Smith, Sea Gram., vii. 31. There is also … in a faire gaile your studding sailes, which are bolts of Canuasse … wee extend alongst the side of the maine saile, and boomes it out with a boome or long pole.
1661. St. Papers Dom. Chas. II. (P.R.O.) 6 May, No. 10. 2 studin sayles ould.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., II. 2. Being fair before the Wind, so that no Sails but the Main and Main-Top-Sails could bear, we put out our Stutting Sails.
1779. W. King, Cook’s 3rd Voy., VI. viii. III. 392. At two, we set studding-sails, and steered West; but the wind increasing to a gale, soon obliged us to double reef the topsails.
1836. Marryat, Midsh. Easy, xxxiii. The Aurora was under way, with studding sails below and aloft, standing out of the roads.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 20. When are studdingsails used? In fair and free winds.
attrib. 1743. Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 10. Got up a lower Studding-Sail-Boom of 40 Feet, & hoisted a Sail to keep the Ship to.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple, xxviii. He sent the topman down into the top for a tail-block and the studding-sail haulyards, made a whip, and lowered me on deck.
1840. R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, i. The next day we were employed in preparations for sea, reeving studding-sail gear, crossing royal yards.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Studding-sail Yard, the spar to which the head of the studding-sail is extended.
1874. Bedford, Sailor’s Pocket Bk., x. (ed. 2), 307. Studding-sail boom, Bout de bonnette.
