WikiWord

English

gybe

/d͡ʒaɪb/ · verb

Meaning

  1. To shift a fore-and-aft sail from one side of a sailing vessel to the other, while sailing before the wind.
  2. Of a fore-and-aft sail or its boom: to shift, often forcefully and suddenly, from one side of a sailing vessel to the other.
  3. Generally of a small sailing vessel: to change tack with the wind crossing behind the vessel.
  4. Often as gybe at: to balk, hesitate, or vacillate when faced with a course of action, plan, or proposal.
  5. The act of gybing.
  6. A sudden shift of a sail's angle, or a sudden change in the direction that a vessel is sailing in.
  7. A manoeuvre in which the stern of a sailing vessel crosses the wind, typically resulting in the forceful and sudden sweep of the boom from one side of the vessel to the other.
  8. A sudden change in approach or direction; vacillation.
  9. Alternative spelling of jibe (“taunt”).

Etymology / origin

Probably from Dutch gijben (obsolete), gijpen; cognate with Danish gibbe, German gieben, giepen, Swedish gipa, gippa. The noun is derived from the verb; compare Dutch gijb (obsolete), gijp (“act of gybing; a boom”).

  1. gijb(nl)
  2. gipa(sv)
  3. gieben(de)
  4. gibbe(da)
  5. gijben(nl)
  6. gybe (English)
  7. Relations: der, cog, cog, cog, der

Related words

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