Trenails

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Wooden pegs driven through holes to fasten the planks and timbers of a wooden ship together
2. Hardwood dowels used in boatbuilding to join frames and planking without metal fastenings
3. Long oak pins that secure the parts of a vessel's hull, often called trunnels or treenails

Etymology: "Trenails" is the plural of "trenail," a variant spelling of "treenail," a wooden peg used to fasten the timbers of a ship or a building. The singular form was once common in shipbuilding, where the pegs were driven through drilled holes to join planks and frames together without iron fastenings. The plural simply adds the usual "-s" to the noun, so the story belongs to the singular.

Synonyms: treenail, trunnel