Luff

v. i. [imp. & p. p. LUFFED (lŭft); p. pr. & vb. n. LUFFING.] [D. loeven. See supra.] (Naut.) To turn the head of a ship toward the wind; to sail nearer the wind; to put the tiller on the lee side, in order to make the ship sail nearer the wind.

To luff round, or luff a-lee, to make the extreme of this movement, for the purpose of throwing the ship’s head into the wind. — To spring her luff, to yield to the helm by sailing nearer the wind; — said of a vessel.