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Luff vs Tuff - What's the difference?

luff | tuff |

As nouns the difference between luff and tuff

is that luff is (nautical) the vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind while tuff is (rock) a light porous rock, now especially a rock composed of compacted volcanic ash varying in size from fine sand to coarse gravel.

As a verb luff

is (nautical|of a sail|intransitive) to shake due to being trimmed improperly.

As an adjective tuff is

older and simplified spelling of tough.

luff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (nautical) The vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind.
    • By easing the halyard, the luff of the sail was made to sag to leeward.
  • (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.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (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 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 luff

    References

    tuff

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • older and simplified spelling of tough
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=1980 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Joy Wilt Berry, Ernie Hergenroeder , title=Tuff Stuff: A Children's Book about Trauma , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Educational Products Division, Word, Inc. , isbn=9780849981364 , page= , passage=Tuff Stuff teaches that while life may go smoothly most of the time, ... }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2000 , year_published= , edition= , editor=Sylvia Bowerbank, Sara Mendelson , author=Margaret Cavendish , title=Paper Bodies , chapter=Preface to the Reader (1655) citation , genre= , publisher= , isbn=9781551111735 , page=139 , passage=… yet never to make us so strong as the strongest of Men, whose Sinnews are tuffer , and Bones stronger, and Joints closer, and Flesh firmer, than ours are … }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2003 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Ronald Carter , title=The Routledge Guide to Modern English Writing , chapter= citation , genre=Language Arts , publisher=Routledge , isbn=9780415286367 , page=96 , passage=It was rave reviewed in the Caribbean Times as 'the ruffest, tuffest and the boo-yacka of all modern gangster novels'. }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2006 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Paige Hemmis , title=The Tuff Chix Guide to Easy Home Improvement , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Penguin , isbn=9780452287617 , page=36 , passage=TUFF METER }}
  • :* {{quote-web
    • , date=2010-01-20 , year= , first= , last= , author=Robert J. Elisberg , authorlink= , title=CES 2020 -- Ohm on the Range , site=Huffington Post citation , archiveorg= , accessdate=2012-09-14 , passage=Its Tuff'-n-Tiny USB flash drive is about the size of a thumbnail. … The company insists that the "' tuff " part of the name is well-earned for being waterproof, dustproof and you can drive a car over it. }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2011 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Kristian Pope , title=Tuff Stuff Professional Wrestling Field Guide: Legend and Lore , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Krause Publications , isbn=9781440228100 , page= , passage=Tuff Stuff Professional Wrestling }}

    References

    * Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, tuff (wikipedia tuff)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) tuffe, (tuf), from (etyl) tufo, from (etyl) .

    Noun

  • (rock) A light porous rock, now especially a rock composed of compacted volcanic ash varying in size from fine sand to coarse gravel.
  • * 2004 , (Richard Fortey), The Earth , Folio Society 2011, p. 9n:
    • This is what makes an ignimbrite; the general term for this kind of volcaniclastic rock is ‘tuff ’.
    Related terms
    * tufflava