luff

The Sailor's Word-Book

, or loofe.


The order to the helmsman, so as to bring the ship's head up more to windward. Sometimes called springing a luff. Also, the air or wind. Also, an old familiar term for lieutenant. Also, the fullest or roundest part of a ship's bows. Also, the weather-leech of a sail.

The Sailor's Word-Book

← loofe   ×   luff and lie →

Related Words

  • Luff

    ·noun The roundest part of a ship's bow. II. Luff ·noun The side of a ship toward the wind. III. L...

    Webster's Dictionary of the English Language

  • luff upon luff

    One luff-tackle applied to the fall of another, to afford an increase of purchase. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • luff round

    , or luff a-lee. The extreme of the movement, by which it is intended to throw the ship's head up ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • luff-tackle

    A purchase composed of a double and single block, the standing end of the rope being fast to the sin...

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  • choke the luff

    To place suddenly the fall of a tackle close to the block across the jaw of the next turn of the rop...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • keep your luff

    An order to the helmsman to keep the ship close to the wind, i.e. sailing with a course as near as p...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • luff and lie

    A very old sea-term for hugging the wind closely. ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • luff a-lee

    See luff round ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • luff and touch her!

    Try how near the wind she will come. (See touching.) ...

    The Sailor's Word-Book

  • luff into a harbour, to

    To sail into it, shooting head to wind, gradually. A ship is accordingly said to spring her luff whe...

    The Sailor's Word-Book