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Glite Dictionary
inner jib

inner jib

9.9
A sail near the front of a large sailing ship that sits between two other front sails
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : foque interior
  • During the storm, the captain ordered the inner jib to be taken down for safety.

Examples

  • The crew worked quickly to hoist the inner jib before the wind changed direction.

  • The inner jib is essential for stability.

  • Sailors trimmed the inner jib to improve the ship's speed and maneuverability.

  • Many sailors prefer using an inner jib in strong winds.

  • On the large square-rigged ship, the inner jib was crucial for maintaining speed and stability.

  • The crew expertly adjusted the inner jib to catch the wind between the outer jib and the staysail.

  • To improve our maneuverability, we decided to set the inner jib along with the other sails at the bow.

Synonyms

jib
vsinner jib
  • Specialized
13 8.6

A triangular sail set at the front of a boat

is a specific sail placed between two forward sails on large square ships
fore staysail
vsinner jib
  • Specialized
9.9

A triangular sail set just in front of the foremast on a large sailing ship

is set between another outer forward sail and that innermost sail
fore-topmast staysail
vsinner jib
  • Specialized
9.9

A small triangular sail set just ahead of the front mast on a large sailing ship

is positioned between an outer forward sail and that innermost sail

Surface Forms

inner jib singular
inner jibs plural

Morphology

inner + jib

The compound is directly interpretable as the jib that is 'inner' (closer to the center/inside) combined with 'jib' (a type of foresail), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a more inward-positioned jib. Although the precise technical placement on a square-rigged ship is domain-specific, the compositional logic is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, making it accessible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Inner jib names a small triangular sail used on big sailing ships. The word inner shows it sits 'inside' other front sails and jib is a small 'front' sail, so the inner jib helped balance and steer the ship.