luff
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luff
(lŭf)n.
1.
a. The act of sailing closer into the wind.
b. The forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail.
2. Archaic The fullest part of the bow of a ship.
v. luffed, luff·ing, luffs
v.intr.
1. To steer a sailing vessel closer into the wind, especially with the sails flapping.
2. To flap while losing wind. Used of a sail.
v.tr.
1. To sail closer into the wind during a race so as to prevent (an opponent's boat) from passing on the windward side.
2. To raise or lower (the boom of a crane or derrick).
[Middle English lof, spar holding out the windward tack of a square sail, from Old French, probably of Germanic origin.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
luff
(lʌf)n
(Nautical Terms) nautical the leading edge of a fore-and-aft sail
n
(Nautical Terms) tackle consisting of a single and a double block for use with rope having a large diameter
vb
1. (Nautical Terms) nautical to head (a sailing vessel) into the wind so that her sails flap
2. (Nautical Terms) (intr) nautical (of a sail) to flap when the wind is blowing equally on both sides
3. (Mechanical Engineering) to move the jib of (a crane) or raise or lower the boom of (a derrick) in order to shift a load
[C13 (in the sense: steering gear): from Old French lof, perhaps from Middle Dutch loef peg of a tiller; compare Old High German laffa palm of hand, oar blade, Russian lapa paw]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
luff
(lʌf)n
1. the forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail.
v.i. 2. to bring the head of a sailing ship closer to or directly into the wind, with sails shaking.
3. (of a sail) to shake from being set too close to the wind.
4. to raise or lower the outer end of the boom of a crane or derrick so as to move its load horizontally.
v.t. 5. to set (the helm of a ship) in such a way as to bring the head of the ship into the wind.
6. to raise or lower the outer end of (the boom of a crane or derrick).
[1175–1225; Middle English lof, loof steering gear < Middle Dutch, later Dutch loef tholepin (of tiller)]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
luff
Past participle: luffed
Gerund: luffing
| Imperative |
|---|
| luff |
| luff |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. | luff - (nautical) the forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail that is next to the mast edge - the outside limit of an object or area or surface; a place farthest away from the center of something; "the edge of the leaf is wavy"; "she sat on the edge of the bed"; "the water's edge" fore-and-aft sail - any sail not set on a yard and whose normal position is in a fore-and-aft direction |
| 2. | luff - the act of sailing close to the wind sailing - riding in a sailboat | |
| Verb | 1. | luff - sail close to the wind sail - travel on water propelled by wind; "I love sailing, especially on the open sea"; "the ship sails on" |
| 2. | luff - flap when the wind is blowing equally on both sides; "the sails luffed" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
loef
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