Luff vs Ruff - What's the difference?
luff | ruff |
(nautical) The vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind.
(nautical) The act of sailing a ship close to the wind.
(nautical) The roundest part of a ship's bow.
(nautical) The forward or weather leech of a sail, especially of the jib, spanker, and other fore-and-aft sails.
(nautical, of a sail, intransitive) To shake due to being trimmed improperly.
(nautical, of a boat, intransitive) To alter course to windward so that the sails luff. (Alternatively luff up )
(nautical) to let out [a sail] so that it luffs.
(mechanical) To alter the vertical angle of the jib of a crane so as to bring it level with the load.
* {{quote-book
, year=1999
, author=Howard I. Shapiro, Jay P. Shapiro, Lawrence K. Shapiro
, title=Cranes and Derricks
, page=95
, isbn=0070578893
A gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia, Philomachus pugnax .
# A male of the species. (The female is a reeve).
a small freshwater fish; a pope.
A circular frill or ruffle on a garment, especially a starched, fluted frill at the neck in Elizabethan and Jacobean England.
*
Anything formed with plaits or flutings, like the frill.
* (rfdate) Alexander Pope
(obsolete) An exhibition of pride or haughtiness.
* (rfdate) L'Estrange
(obsolete) Wanton or tumultuous procedure or conduct.
* (rfdate) Latimer
(military) A low, vibrating beat of a drum, quieter than a roll; a ruffle.
(engineering) A collar on a shaft or other piece to prevent endwise motion.
A set of lengthened or otherwise modified feathers on or around the neck of a bird.
To ruffle; to disorder.
(military) To beat with the ruff or ruffle, as a drum.
(hawking) To hit (the prey) without fixing it.
(colloquial)
As nouns the difference between luff and ruff
is that luff is (nautical) the vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind while ruff is reputation.As a verb luff
is (nautical|of a sail|intransitive) to shake due to being trimmed improperly.luff
English
Noun
(en noun)- By easing the halyard, the luff of the sail was made to sag to leeward.
Verb
(en verb)citation, passage=The tower is mounted on a slewing platform, which also carries the power plant and the counterweights, while the jib is supported and luffed by fixed pendant ropes.}}
Derived terms
* luff alee * luffing crane * luff round * luff tackle * luff upon luffReferences
ruff
English
Etymology 1
A shortening of (ruffle)Noun
(en noun)- I reared this flower; / Soft on the paper ruff its leaves I spread.
- How many princes in the ruff of all their glory, have been taken down from the head of a conquering army to the wheel of the victor's chariot!
- to ruffle it out in a riotous ruff
Verb
(en verb)- (Spenser)