outhaul

American

[out-hawl] / ˈaʊtˌhɔl /

noun

Nautical.

a rope used for hauling out a sail on a boom, yard, etc.

outhaul British

/ ˈaʊtˌhɔːl /

noun

Also: outhauler. nautical a line or cable for tightening the foot of a sail by hauling the clew out along the boom or yard

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of outhaul

First recorded in 1830–40; out- + haul

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.

Mitt Romney has accused President Obama of presiding over a decline in US global power At its heart, the argument is largely about whether China has become the more dynamic and successful country and will outhaul the US within our lifetimes.

From BBC

Anyone who knows the difference between windward and leeward but not between a boom vang and an outhaul feels apprehensive.

From Time Magazine Archive

For, as a horse can pull more than it can carry, so a trailer pulled by a motor in a cab can outhaul a truck.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Man the foresail outhaul!" shouted Terrill, through his trumpet.

From Project Gutenberg

"Double the hands on the outhaul!" added Terrill.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023