Luff

The weather-gauge. The part of a vessel towards the wind. A sailing close to the wind. (Dutch, loef, a weather-gauge.)

To luff is to turn the head of a ship towards the wind.

Luff!—i.e. Put the tiller on the leeside. This is done to make the ship sail nearer the wind.

Luff round! Throw the ship’s head right into the wind.

Luff a-lee! Same as luff round.

A ship is said to spring her luff when she yields to the helm by sailing nearer the wind.

Keep the luff. The wind side.

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.