Luff vs. Sail — What's the Difference?

The act of sailing closer into the wind.

A sail is a tensile structure—made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may be made from a combination of woven materials—including canvas or polyester cloth, laminated membranes or bonded filaments—usually in a three- or four-sided shape.

The forward edge of a fore-and-aft sail.

A piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship or other vessel

(Archaic) The fullest part of the bow of a ship.

A wind-catching apparatus attached to the arm of a windmill.

To steer a sailing vessel closer into the wind, especially with the sails flapping.

A voyage or excursion in a ship, especially a sailing ship or boat

To flap while losing wind. Used of a sail.

The conning tower of a submarine.

To sail closer into the wind during a race so as to prevent (an opponent's boat) from passing on the windward side.

A canvas sheet or tarpaulin

To raise or lower (the boom of a crane or derrick).

Travel in a boat with sails, especially as a sport or recreation

(nautical) The vertical edge of a sail that is closest to the direction of the wind.

Move smoothly and rapidly or in a stately or confident manner

(nautical) The act of sailing a ship close to the wind.

A piece of fabric sewn together and fitted to the spars and rigging of a vessel so as to convert the force of the wind into forward motion of the vessel.

(nautical) The roundest part of a ship's bow.

The sails of a ship or boat.

(nautical) The forward or weather leech of a sail, especially of the jib, spanker, and other fore-and-aft sails.

A narrow fairwater supporting the bridge of a submarine.

To shake due to being trimmed improperly.

Pl. sail or sails Nautical A sailing vessel.

To bring the ship's head up closer to the wind. (Alternatively luff up)

(Nautical) A trip or voyage in a sailing craft.

To let out (a sail) so that it luffs.

Something, such as the blade of a windmill, that resembles a sail in form or function.

(mechanical) To alter the vertical angle of the jib of a crane so as to bring it level with the load.

To move across the surface of water, especially by means of a sailing vessel.

The side of a ship toward the wind.

To travel by water in a vessel.

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.

To start out on such a voyage or journey

To flutter or shake from being aligned close to the direction of the wind; - said of a sail.

To operate a sailing craft, especially for sport.

Sailing close to the wind

To move along or progress smoothly or effortlessly

Sail close to the wind

To move along through the air

Flap when the wind is blowing equally on both sides;

To navigate or manage (a vessel).

To voyage upon or across

(nautical) A piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a combination of mast, spars and ropes.

The concept of a sail or sails, as if a substance.

(uncountable) The power harnessed by a sail or sails, or the use of this power for travel or transport.

A trip in a boat, especially a sailboat.

A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.

(nautical) The conning tower of a submarine.

The blade of a windmill.

A tower-like structure found on the dorsal (topside) surface of submarines.

The floating organ of siphonophores, such as the Portuguese man-of-war.

(fishing) A sailfish.

(paleontology) an outward projection of the spine, occurring in certain dinosaurs and synapsids

Anything resembling a sail, such as a wing.

To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water; to be impelled on a body of water by steam or other power.

To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a waterfowl.

To ride in a boat, especially a sailboat.

(intransitive) To set sail; to begin a voyage.

To move briskly and gracefully through the air.

(intransitive) To move briskly but sedately.

To deal out (cards) from a distance by impelling them across a surface.

An extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is made serviceable as a power for propelling vessels through the water.

Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail.

A wing; a van.

The extended surface of the arm of a windmill.

A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.

A passage by a sailing vessel; a journey or excursion upon the water.

To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water; to be impelled on a body of water by the action of steam or other power.

To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a water fowl.

To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water; as, they sailed from London to Canton.

To set sail; to begin a voyage.

To move smoothly through the air; to glide through the air without apparent exertion, as a bird.

To pass or move upon, as in a ship, by means of sails; hence, to move or journey upon (the water) by means of steam or other force.

To fly through; to glide or move smoothly through.

To direct or manage the motion of, as a vessel; as, to sail one's own ship.

A large piece of fabric (as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel

An ocean trip taken for pleasure

Traverse or travel by ship on (a body of water);

Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions;

Travel in a boat propelled by wind;

Travel by boat on a boat propelled by wind or by other means;