aft

The Sailor's Word-Book

a Saxon word contradistinctive of fore, and an abbreviation of abaft the hinder part of the ship, or that nearest the stern. Right aft is in a direct line with the keel from the stern. To haul aft a sheet is to pull on the rope which brings the clue or corner of the sails more in the direction of the stern.


The mast rakes aft when it inclines towards the stern.

The Sailor's Word-Book

← afraid   ×   aft-castle →

Related Words

  • Aft

    ·adv & ·adj Near or towards the stern of a vessel; astern; abaft. ...

    Webster's Dictionary of the English Language

  • aft-castle

    An elevation on the after-part of our ships of war, opposed to forecastle, for the purpose of fighti...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • chock-aft

    , chock-full, chock-home, chock-up, &c. Denote as far aft, full, home, up, &c., as possible, or th...

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  • flat-aft

    The sheets of fore-and-aft sails may be hauled flat-aft, as the jib-sheet to pay her head off, the d...

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  • veers aft

    See hauls aft ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • hauls aft

    , or veers aft. Said of the wind when it draws astern. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • round-aft

    The outward curve or segment of a circle, that the stern partakes of from the wing transom upwards. ...

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  • taken aft

    Complained of on the quarter-deck. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • bearing backstays aft

    To throw the breast backstays out of the cross-tree horns or out-riggers and bear them aft. If not d...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • both sheets aft

    The situation of a square-rigged ship that sails before the wind, or with the wind right astern. It ...

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  • fore-and-aft

    From head to stern throughout the ship's whole length, or from end to end; it also implies in a line...

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  • fore-and-aft sails

    Jibs, staysails, and gaff-sails; in fact, all sails which are not set to yards. They extend from the...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • haul aft a sheet

    To pull it in more towards the stern, so as to trim the sail nearer to the wind. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • brace up and haul aft!

    The order usually given after being hove-to, with fore or main top-sail square or aback, and jib-she...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • gather aft a sheet, to

    to pull it in, by hauling in slack. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book