I.
The after part of a ship's bow, before the chess-tree, or that where the planks begin to be incurvated as they approach the stem. Hence, the guns which lie here are called loof-pieces.
II.
Usually pronounced and spelled luff (which see).
·vi ·see <<Luff>>. II. Loof ·noun The part of a ship's side where the planking begins to curve towa...
Webster's Dictionary of the English Language