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sheet

sheet

1 8.0
A rope used on a boat to control a sail's angle to the wind
  • noun
  • /ʃiːt/
  • Jargon
: escota
  • He learned how to tie the sheet properly to manage the sail effectively.

Examples

  • Can you pull in the main sheet?

  • Hilary slammed his own tiller into the leeward rail and lunged for the jib sheet.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • You mean the jib sheet, sir?

  • Haul the sheets handsomely, boys.

  • BOATER: Hey, fellows, haul in your sheet.

  • Man the mizzen top-sail sheets.

  • The sloop had heeled over, George trimming in the sheet and yanking on the tiller, with Sarah clinging to his chest like a scared little monkey.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Can you adjust the sheet to catch more wind and help us sail faster?

  • The crew scrambled to tighten the sheet as the wind picked up during the race.

Synonyms

tack
vssheet
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A rope attached to a sail corner used to control its angle

is a general control line not limited to the sail's lower corner
mainsheet
vssheet
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A rope used to pull the main sail and change its angle to the wind

applies to any sail control rope rather than only the mainsail
weather sheet
vssheet
  • Jargon
9.9

A rope or chain used to control the angle of a sail to the wind

is the same rope function but named with a different term

Idioms

Do something new and not worry about past mistakes

Compounds

balance sheet
  • Specialized
55 3.7

A document that shows what a company owns, what it owes, and its value on a date

rap sheet
  • Jargon
44 7.6

A police list of a person's arrests and convictions

A single flat piece of paper used for writing or printing

22 1.0

A large flat cloth that covers a mattress for sleeping

17 3.0

Printed pages with music notes used for playing a song

sheet metal
  • Specialized
11 3.4

Thin, flat pieces of metal used to make or cover things

11 3.4

A small note with key facts to use for quick reference or during a test

8 1.6

A flat metal tray that you use to bake cookies in an oven

style sheet
  • Specialized
5 3.7

A file that tells a web page how to look, for example fonts and colors

4 2.5

A form to record the hours an employee works during a set time

3 5.4

A written list of charges and arrests at a police station

2 2.0

A sheet with stretchy edges that fits tightly over a mattress and stays in place

tip sheet
  • Literature
1 6.7

A short paper that gives advice and guesses about business, stocks, or horse racing

tear sheet
  • Jargon
1 7.1

A page from a magazine or newspaper you can easily remove and keep as proof

lead sheet
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A piece of music that shows the tune, words, and chords

flow sheet
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A diagram that shows the order of steps in a process, like a computer program or accounting system

A paper that has the questions for a test or exam

sheet-metal work
  • Specialized
1 4.9

The job of shaping and joining thin metal sheets to make building parts like vents

winding-sheet
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A cloth that people use to wrap a dead body for burial

scratch sheet
  • Jargon
1 9.9

A paper that lists horses, race results and betting odds

sheet glass
  • Specialized
1 3.7

Thin flat glass that is made in large sheets for windows and mirrors

sheet iron
  • Specialized
1 4.8

A thin flat metal made by rolling or hammering used for roofs and building parts

A wide, soft flash that lights the sky from distant lightning behind clouds

1 2.7

A large cloth used to cover furniture when not in use to protect it from dust

sheet piling
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A row of metal boards pushed into the ground to hold back soil or water

1 4.1

A document listing rules for writers and editors to prepare text for publication

1 4.9

Looking at a company's money, debts, and owners' share to judge its financial health

sheet bend
  • Jargon
1 8.4

A knot used to join one rope to another, even when they are different thicknesses

press sheet
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A large sheet of paper printed with many pages before cutting or folding

1 8.4

A short document that gives key facts and instructions for daily tasks

1 6.8

A flat net of spider silk that hangs like a small hammock

1 4.2

A thin flat piece of silver metal used to make jewelry or small items

1 3.1

A bed sheet with elastic corners that fits tightly over a mattress

sheet pile
  • Specialized
1 7.4

A long flat piece of metal, wood, or concrete driven into the ground to hold back soil and water

sheet anchor
  • Jargon
1 9.3

A spare anchor kept on a ship for use in an emergency

deckle-edged sheet
  • Specialized
9.7

A sheet of paper with rough, uneven edges made by hand

dope sheet
  • Archaic
9.9

A paper that lists horse race results, odds and stats for betting

6.8

A flap of cloth over a tent entrance that keeps out rain and insects

An outer surface on a building made from shiny silver metal sheets

weather sheet
  • Jargon
9.9

A rope or chain used to control the angle of a sail to the wind

How Strong

hawser
  • Specialized
1 9.9
cable
  • Specialized
267 2.4
sheet
  • Jargon
1 8.0
rope
599 1.0
line
663 1.1
twine
28 3.2

Surface Forms

sheet singular
sheets plural

Etymology

The rope called a sheet got its name because it controls the 'corner' of the sail, so the line that pulls that part of the spread cloth became the sheet.