Luff
Luff (luf) , noun
[Old English lof, prob. a sort of timber by which the course of a ship was directed, perh. a sort of paddle; compare Dutch loef luff, loeven to luff. The word is perh. akin to English glove. Compare Aloof.]
(a)
(Nautical) The side of a ship toward the wind.
(b)
(Nautical) The act of sailing a ship close to the wind.
(c)
(Nautical) The roundest part of a ship's bow.
(d)
(Nautical) The forward or weather leech of a sail, especially of the jib, spanker, and other fore-and-aft sails.
Collocations (2)
Luff tackle , a purchase composed of a double and single block and fall, used for various purposes. — Totten
Luff upon luff , a luff tackle attached to the fall of another luff tackle. — R. H. Dana, Jr
Luff (luf) , intransitive verb
1.
(Nautical) To turn the head of a vessel toward the wind; to sail nearer the wind; to turn the tiller so as to make the vessel sail nearer the wind.
2.
(Nautical) To flutter or shake from being aligned close to the direction of the wind; -- said of a sail.
Collocations (1)
To luff round or To luff alee , to make the extreme of this movement, for the purpose of throwing the ship's head into the wind.