This word is acceptable for play in the US & UK dictionaries that are being used in the following games:

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n. A rope or shroud extending from the top of a mast aft to a ship's side or stern to help support the mast.

n. A supporting device at or for the back of something else.

n. A part of the rigging of a sailing ship extending from masthead the top of the mast to the back of the ship; they support the strain on all upper masts and provide additional support to the shrouds when the wind is abaft the beam.

n. A rope or stay extending from the masthead to the side of a ship, slanting a little aft, to assist the shrouds in supporting the mast.

n. A rope or strap used to prevent excessive forward motion.

n. In printing, a strap of leather used to check the carriage of a printing-press.

n. In coal-mining, a forked bar of wrought-iron attached to the back of the mine-car when ascending an inclined plane, for the purpose of stopping the car in case of accident.

n. A rod extending from the perch to the outer end of the rear axle of a carriage.

n. One of the flaps of a carriage-top.

n. In purchase-shears, a powerful spring placed at the back of the moving blade to keep the two cutting edges in contact.

n. In metal-turning, an adjustable support for any very long or slender article.

n. pl. Naut., long ropes extending backward from the heads of all masts above the lower mast and fastened on each side of the ship to the chain-plates, serving to support the masts.

n. In mining, an inclined strut or brace of a shaft-head frame, designed to resist the pull of the hoisting-engine.

n. a stay that supports the back of something

"What the "backstay" is to the inhabitant of the district around Lydd, the stilts are to the lonely dwellers in the Landes."

stay   

shifting backstay    backstays to the sun    backstay-stools    traveling backstays   

staysail    stays'l    eyebolt    boord    in-place    foran    cost-of-living    Genoa    xserver-xorg    yardarm