Skip to main content
to sheet

to sheet

1 9.1
To pull a sail's rope to set the sail at the right angle to the wind
  • verb
  • /ʃiːt/
  • Jargon
: trimar
  • A riding sail can also act as a flopper stopper in bouncy anchorages, provided it can be sheeted home hard.

Examples

  • To improve sailing efficiency, the captain had to sheet the mainsail properly to catch the wind.

  • If the waves are at an angle to the wind and hull, making life uncomfortable, try sheeting the mizzen to the side, pushing the boat around to a more comfortable alignment with the waves.

    Blog text (28)
  • A fully battened triangular sail, attached with hanks to the backstay, hoisted with a spare main halyard, and sheeted forward.

    Blog text (28)
  • Before the race, the crew quickly sheeted the genoa to ensure the boat was perfectly aligned with the changing winds.

  • During the storm, they needed to sheet the sails tightly to prevent them from flapping uncontrollably.

Idioms

Do something new and not worry about past mistakes

Phrasal Verbs

Play music by following the written notes on the page

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 Tight

to secure
105 3.3
to tighten
157 1.5
to sheet
  • Jargon
1 9.1
to ease
89 2.4
to release
∞ 1.8

Surface Forms

sheet infinitive
sheeting present participle
sheets third person singular
sheathed past
sheathed past participle

Etymology

To sheet a sail means to pull or fasten it with the rope called a sheet, so the verb comes from the action of using that rope to set the sail at the right angle.