Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Brail \Brail\, n. [OE. brayle furling rope, OF. braiol a band
   placed around the breeches, fr.F. braies, pl., breeches,
   fr.L. braca, bracae, breeches, a Gallic word; cf. Arm.
   bragez. Cf. {Breeches}.]
   1. (Falconry) A thong of soft leather to bind up a hawk's
      wing.

   2. pl. (Naut.) Ropes passing through pulleys, and used to
      haul in or up the leeches, bottoms, or corners of sails,
      preparatory to furling.

   3. A stock at each end of a seine to keep it stretched.

Brail \Brail\, v. t. (Naut.)
   To haul up by the brails; -- used with up; as, to brail up a
   sail.

Source : WordNet®

brail
     n 1: a small net used to draw fish into a boat
     2: a small rope (one of several) used to draw a sail in
     v 1: take in a sail with a brail
     2: haul fish aboard with brails