Outhauls

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Lines or ropes used on a sailboat to adjust the tension and position of the sail's foot ; components essential for controlling the sail's shape and performance ; rigging elements that pull the lower edge of a sail taut for optimal sailing efficiency
2. Equipment aboard sailing vessels that stretches the bottom edge of a sail outward ; cords or wires that influence sail contour and positioning ; nautical gear employed to modify sailing dynamics by tightening the sail's base
3. Maritime lines designed to extend and secure the foot of a sail ; tools for fine-tuning the form and function of sails ; sailing apparatus used to enhance control and speed by adjusting sail tension

Etymology: The plural "outhauls" simply names more than one of the lines used to pull a sail's lower corner (the clew) outward along a boom, tightening the foot of the sail. Its history is plain: "outhaul" is a compound of "out" and "haul," and it was formed in Middle English as "outhalen," where "out" came down from Old English "ūt" and "haul" carried its older sense of pulling or hauling a rope. The word therefore describes its own job. A sailor hauling on an outhaul is literally hauling outward, and the element "out" tells you the direction of the pull. Sailing vocabulary built this way, from plain verbs and directional particles combined into new compounds, is common throughout nautical English.

Synonyms: outhaul lines, sail controls