Meaning of brail

brail

1. any of several horizontal lines fastened to the edge of a fore-and-aft sail or lateen sail, for gathering in the sail.
2. a leather binding for a hawk's wings, to prohibit flight.

1. to gather or haul in (a sail) by means of brails (usually fol. by up).
2. to transfer (fish) from a net to the hold of a ship.
2. to bind (the wings of a bird) in order to prevent it from flying.