jib

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

jib, n. [Named from its shifting from side to side. See Jib, v. i.., Jibe.].

•  A triangular sail set upon a stay or halyard extending from the foremast or fore-topmast to the bowsprit or the jib boom. Large vessels often carry several jibs; as, inner jib; outer jib; flying jib; etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  The projecting arm of a crane, from which the load is suspended.  [1913 Webster]
•  One that jibs, or balks; a jibber.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  A stationary condition; a standstill.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Jib boom (Naut.), a spar or boom which serves as an extension of the bowsprit. It is sometimes extended by another spar called the flying jib boom. [Written also gib boom.] -- Jib crane (Mach.), a crane having a horizontal jib on which a trolley moves, bearing the load. -- Jib door (Arch.), a door made flush with the wall, without dressings or moldings; a disguised door. -- Jib header (Naut.), a gaff-topsail, shaped like a jib; a jib-headed topsail. -- Jib topsail (Naut.), a small jib set above and outside of all the other jibs. -- The cut of one's jib, one's outward appearance. [Colloq.] Sir W. Scott.

jib, v. i. [Connected with jibe; cf. OF. giber to shake.].

 To move restively backward or sidewise, -- said of a horse; to balk.  [1913 Webster]

jib, v. t. & i. [Cf. Jib a sail, Gybe.].

 To shift, or swing round, as a sail, boom, yard, etc., as in tacking.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

jib, n. & v.
--n.
1 a triangular staysail from the outer end of the jib-boom to the top of the foremast or from the bowsprit to the masthead.
2 the projecting arm of a crane.
--v.tr. & intr. (jibbed, jibbing) to the other; gybe.

Idiom

jib-boom a spar run out from the end of the bowsprit.

jib, v.intr. (jibbed, jibbing)
1 a (of an animal, esp. a horse) stop and refuse to go on; move backwards or sideways instead of going on. b (of a person) refuse to continue.
2 (foll. by at) show aversion to (a person or course of action).

Derivative

jibber n.

Etymology

19th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

jib

avert, avoid, back down, balance, balk, balloon sail, batten, bear off, blench, blink, boggle, cringe, debate, deliberate, demur, dodge, draw aside, draw back, duck, ease off, edge off, evade, fade, fall back, falter, fear, fight shy, flinch, fly off, fly-by-night, flying kites, fore gaff-topsail, fore topgallant sail, fore-skysail, fore-topmast staysail, fore-topsail, foreroyal, foresail, forestaysail, gag, gee, glance, glance off, go off, hang back, haw, head off, hem and haw, hesitate, hover, hum and haw, jenny, jigger, jump, jump a mile, leg-of-mutton sail, loose-footed sail, lug, main gaff-topsail, main royal, main skysail, main-royal staysail, main-topsail, mainsail, make way for, mizzen, mizzen skysail, mizzen staysail, mizzen-royal staysail, mizzen-topgallant sail, moonraker, moonsail, move aside, panic, parachute spinnaker, pause, ponder, pull back, quail, recoil, reef, reef point, reel back, retreat, royal, scruple, sheer off, shilly-shally, shove aside, shrink, shrink back, shunt, shy, shy off, side, sidestep, sidetrack, sidle, skedaddle, skyscraper, spanker, spinnaker, spitfire, square sail, stampede, start, start aside, start back, startle, staysail, steer clear of, step aside, stern staysail, stick, stick at, stickle, stop to consider, storm trysail, straddle the fence, strain, strain at, stumble, swerve, switch, think twice about, topsail, trysail, turn aside, turn away, turn back, veer off, weasel, weasel out, wince, withdraw, yield

ROGET THESAURUS

jib

Front

N front, fore, forepart, foreground, face, disk, disc, frontage, facade, proscenium, facia, frontispiece, anteriority, obverse (of a medal or coin), fore rank, front rank, van, vanguard, advanced guard, outpost, first line, scout, brow, forehead, visage, physiognomy, phiz, countenance, mut, rostrum, beak, bow, stem, prow, prore, jib, pioneer, metoposcopy, fore, anterior, front, frontal, before, in front, in the van, in advance, ahead, right ahead, forehead, foremost, in the foreground, in the lee of, before one's face, before one's eyes, face to face, vis-a-vis, front a front, formosa muta commendatio est, frons est animi janua, Human face divine, imago animi vultus est indices oculi, sea of upturned faces.

Regression

VB recede, regrade, return, revert, retreat, retire, retrograde, retrocede, back out, back down, balk, crawfish, crawl, withdraw, rebound, go back, come back, turn back, hark back, draw back, fall back, get back, put back, run back, lose ground, fall astern, drop astern, backwater, put about, backtrack, take the back track, veer round, double, wheel, countermarch, ebb, regurgitate, jib, shrink, shy, turn tail, turn round, turn upon one's heel, turn one's back upon, retrace one's steps, dance the back step, sound a retreat, beat a retreat, go home.