alee
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of alee
Explanation
When you're alee, you're on the side of a boat facing away from the wind. If a sailor moves the sail alee, she moves it downwind. Alee is a nautical term, one you're most likely to hear on a boat or ship. Another way to say "on the downwind side" is leeward. Both words include lee, from the Old English hleo, "shelter, cover, defense, or protection." So the alee side of a sailboat is the side that's sheltered from the wind, and the phrase "Hard alee!" is a command to move the sail to the boat's protected side.
Vocabulary lists containing alee
Scrabble: Four-Letter Words with 3 Vowels
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That's the Way the Wind Blows
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4-letter words, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The 720 ft ship was doing 27 knots and the helm was hard alee.
From The Verge • Aug. 25, 2022
With helm hard alee the Knitsley started to run back to the shelter of nearby Santander, still held by Leftists.
From Time Magazine Archive
Two young fellows raced up the rigging, others stood by to prevent jibing, and the mate put the wheel hard alee.
From The Harbor of Doubt by Gage, George W.
The question at that time was one which was much controverted in the service; namely, whether, on being taken flat aback, you should put your helm a turn or two alee, or keep it amidship?
From Frank Mildmay Or, The Naval Officer by Marryat, Frederick
The skipper he threw himsel frae the win' An' he brayt the helm alee.
From The poetical works of George MacDonald in two volumes — Volume 2 by MacDonald, George
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
