yards

The word “yards” means the horizontal spars on a mast that hold up a square sail, and by extension the sail rigging as a whole. In plain terms, the wooden crossbeams on a sailing ship's masts that the sails hang from.

“Yards” is pronounced yahdz (/jɑɹdz/ in IPA).

Here is “yards” used in a sentence: “The crew scrambled up the rigging to reef the yards before the storm hit.”

“Yards” is a noun.

“Yards” is a fairly common word in modern English.

A yard is a long horizontal spar fixed across a mast to support and spread a square sail. The sail hangs from the yard, which can be raised, lowered, or angled to catch the wind. Ships with square sails carry several yards, one for each sail on a mast.

A mast is the tall vertical pole rising from a ship's deck, while a yard is the horizontal spar attached across it. The mast provides the main upright support; the yards cross it to hold the sails out. Together they form the framework that carries a square-rigged ship's canvas.

A yardarm is either outer end of a yard — the tip of the horizontal spar that extends beyond the sail. Sailors historically climbed out along the yardarms to handle the canvas. The term also survives in nautical sayings, such as the sun being 'over the yardarm,' meaning it is late enough for a drink.