Found 2 items, similar to Luff.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: luff luff n : sailing close to the wind v 1: sail close to the wind [syn: point] 2: flap when the wind is blowing equally on both sides; “the sails luffed”
English → English (gcide) Definition: Luff Luff \Luff\ (l[u^]f), n. [OE. lof, prob. a sort of timber by which the course of a ship was directed, perh. a sort of paddle; cf. D. loef luff, loeven to luff. The word is perh. akin to E. glove. Cf. Aloof.] (Naut.) (a) The side of a ship toward the wind. (b) The act of sailing a ship close to the wind. (c) The roundest part of a ship's bow. (d) The forward or weather leech of a sail, especially of the jib, spanker, and other fore-and-aft sails. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster] Luff \Luff\ (l[u^]f), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Luffed (l[u^]ft); p. pr. & vb. n. Luffing.] 1. (Naut.) 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. [1913 Webster] 2. (Naut.) To flutter or shake from being aligned close to the direction of the wind; -- said of a sail. [PJC] 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. [1913 Webster]