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Glite Dictionary
flying jib

flying jib

9.9
A small outer sail on the long pole at the front of a ship that catches wind
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : foque volador
  • With the flying jib unfurled, the ship gained extra speed across the open sea.

Examples

  • The crew set the flying jib to catch the strong wind ahead of the bow.

  • During the storm, the captain ordered the flying jib to be taken down for safety.

  • The flying jib helps improve the sail's efficiency.

  • Many boats use a flying jib for better performance.

  • During the storm, the captain ordered the flying jib to be taken down for safety.

  • The crew set the flying jib to catch the strong wind ahead of the bow.

  • With the flying jib unfurled, the ship gained extra speed across the open sea.

Surface Forms

flying jib singular
flying jibs plural

Morphology

flying + jib

While 'jib' clearly denotes a type of foresail, the adjective 'flying' does not transparently convey the specific positional sense 'outermost/set forward on the bowsprit' to a B1 learner; its common sense ('moving through air' or 'swift') does not straightforwardly map to the nautical meaning. The phrase has a partial compositional link (a particular kind of jib) but relies on specialized maritime usage, so learners who only know the basic word meanings are unlikely to predict the precise meaning.

Etymology

Flying jib is a small sail on the long pole at the front of a ship: the jib is pushed out ahead so the flying part 'flies' in the wind. That's why it means the forward sail that catches extra wind to help the ship go faster.