trail rope

American  

noun

1. a guide rope on an aerostat.

---

trail rope British  

noun

1. another name for dragrope

2. a long rope formerly used for various military purposes, esp to allow a vehicle, horses, or men to pull a gun carriage

---

Etymology

Origin of trail rope

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

My blind roommate and I hook arms and help each other find the trail rope that sporadically disappears in places, and we make it there and back, triumphant.

From New York Times • Sep. 14, 1454

As the waves came even closer to his perch, Joseph dumped the last of his sand ballast and busied himself cutting up his trail rope to throw that out piece by piece.

From Time Magazine Archive

The other end of the rope has an eye, and is fitted to slide down the main trail rope and catch on a knot at the end.

From British Airships, Past, Present, and Future by Whale, George

He leapt up on the seat, and, at imminent risk of falling headlong, released the grapnel-rope from the toggle that held it, sprang on to the trail rope and disengaged that also.

From The War in the Air by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)

Only when a trail rope dragging along the ground or sea is employed does the sail offer sufficient resistance to the wind to sway the balloon's course this way or that.

From Aircraft and Submarines The Story of the Invention, Development, and Present-Day Uses of War's Newest Weapons by Abbot, Willis J. (Willis John)