A rope or cable running from the top of a ship's mast to the stern (back) of the vessel, providing support and stability to the mast.
Back + stay; 'stay' from Old Norse 'stay' meaning support. Essential nautical terminology from the age of sail.
Sailors adjusted their backstays constantly depending on wind and sea conditions—getting them wrong could literally snap your mast, so every sailor knew exactly how tight each stay should be!
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