Home › Glossary › Letter S

shroud

Nautical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A set of ropes or wires forming part of the standing rigging, supporting the mast laterally.

Detailed Definition
The shroud is a line of standing rigging that braces the mast against lateral forces. In poetry, its name carries an inevitable overtone of burial and concealment, yet in its maritime sense it is a protector, a stabilizer. This duality fascinates poets: the shroud that supports and the shroud that covers. It represents the unseen framework of support—the network of relationships, traditions, or beliefs that hold a person upright. Its tarred, dark appearance against the sky also contributes to the gothic atmosphere of many sea poems, where the shrouds frame the tragic or melancholic gaze of the watching sailor.
Example
Example in poetry:
The shroud in poetry carries an inevitable overtone of burial and concealment, yet in its maritime sense it is a protector, a stabilizer.; This duality fascinates poets: the shroud that supports and the shroud that covers.; It represents the unseen framework of support—the network of relationships, traditions, or beliefs that hold a person upright.; Its tarred, dark appearance against the sky contributes to the gothic atmosphere of many sea poems.; The shroud is a set of ropes or wires forming part of the standing rigging, supporting the mast laterally.; In verse, the shrouds frame the tragic or melancholic gaze of the watching sailor.
Additional Notes
The shroud is a set of ropes or wires forming part of the standing rigging, supporting the mast laterally. In poetry, its name carries an inevitable overtone of burial and concealment, yet in its maritime sense it is a protector and stabilizer. This powerful duality fascinates poets: the shroud that supports and the shroud that covers. It represents the unseen framework of support—the network of relationships, traditions, or beliefs that hold a person upright. Its tarred, dark appearance against the sky contributes to the gothic atmosphere of many sea poems, where the shrouds frame the tragic or melancholic gaze of the watching sailor.
Other Meanings of “shroud”
Also Known As
Shroud line mast shroud rigging shroud Haise mists shawe shrowd Veil Winding Sheet
Skip to main content