Also 7 gibb, 7–8 jibb, 8 gib, jyb. [Origin uncertain; the name has been found only in English.
Possibly an abbreviation of gibbet, with reference to its suspension from the mast-head. Connection with JIB v.2 is also plausible; but the vb. has not as yet been found so early.]
1. Naut. A triangular stay-sail stretching from the outer end of the jib-boom to the fore-topmast head in large ships, and from the bowsprit to the masthead in smaller craft. Flying jib, a second sail of similar shape set before the jib on the flying jib-boom (but c. 1700–50 applied to the only jib of large vessels); in some large vessels more jibs, in extreme cases as many as six, are carried, the outermost being the jib of jibs: see quot. 1867.
‘No Tudor ship carried anything in the form of a foresail or jib. It was not till long afterwards that any nation adopted them for square-rigged vessels—a fact that is very remarkable, since they were certainly used by small craft at the end of the sixteenth century.’ (J Corbett, Successors of Drake (1900), 424.) ‘In 1688 jibs were part of the ordinary stores at Woolwich, and must therefore have been used in the large ships before that date.’ (M. Oppenheim.)
1661. Inventory Swallow Ketch (S. P. Dom. Chas. II. xxxv. 10. 1). One new Gibb … One ould Gibb.
1694. Acct. Stores sent to Streights Fleet, 31 July (Navy Board Lett. XXIX. 834). For preserving the sailes—Jibbs Two, Mizen Topsll 1.
1711. W. Sutherland, Ship-build. Assist., 117. There is another Sail call’d a flying Gib.
1712. E. Cooke, Voy. S. Sea, 16. Her flying Jyb loose.
1726. G. Roberts, Four Years Voy., 280. My Fore-sail and Jibb, were patched out of the Pieces of the Main-Sail.
1750. Blanckley, Nav. Expos., 140. Those [sails] which are not bent to the Yards, are, the Flying Jibb, Fore, Fore-top, Main,… and Mizon Top-mast Stay Sails.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 83. Before the mast is a foresail, a jib, and a flying jib.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Jib of Jibs, a sixth jib on the bowsprit, only known to flying-kitemen: the sequence being—storm, inner, outer, flying, spindle, jib of jibs.
1878. Masque of Poets, 53. The jib swung loose in the sudden gale.
b. The cut of one’s jib (colloq.): one’s personal appearance, countenance or look; see CUT sb. 16 c.
Orig. a sailor’s figure of speech, suggested by the prominence and characteristic form of the jib of a ship.
1823–81. [see CUT sb. 16 c].
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, i. If she disliked what the sailor calls the cut of their jib.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, IV. xxiii. Not know an Avenel! We’ve all the same cut of the jib, have not we, father?
1896. Guy Boothby, In Strange Comp., II. iv. 48/1. I like the cut of your jib, or you wouldn’t be sitting there opposite me.
2. dial. The under lip (in phr. to hang the jib). Also, The mouth, face or nose.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Jib, the under-lip. Of a whimpering child it is said ‘he hangs his jib.’
1852. R. S. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour, i. 2. They cock up their jibs and ride along with a ‘find any fault with either me or my horse, if you can’ sort of air.
1865. B. Brierley, Irkdale, I. 255. (Lancash. dial.) Cock up thy jib, an’ let’s have another smeawtch, an’ then I’se goo whoam.
3. Comb., as jib-down-haul, a rope used to haul down the jib; jib-guy, a stout rope that supports the jib-boom; jib-halyard, the halyard for raising and lowering the jib; jib-head, an iron fastened to the head of a jib which has been shortened at the top; jib-headed a., shaped like a jib, said of a topsail; jib-header, a topsail shaped like a jib; jib-iron = jib-traveller; jib-netting, a triangular netting fixed under the jib-boom to hold the jib when temporarily hauled down and to prevent men from falling into the sea while furling, etc., the jib; † jib-sail = JIB 1; jib-sheet, one of the ropes by which the jib is trimmed, stretching from its clew to the bows of the ship; jib-stay, the stay on which the jib is set; jib-traveller (see quot. 1794).
1825. H. B. Gascoigne, Nav. Fame, 54. While some to Let the anchor go prepare, The slack *Jib-down-haul in the Waste they bear.
1868. Kinglake, Crimea (1877), IV. xiii. 390. When the movement of each ship had ceased, the *jib-guys of the two were … touching.
1726. G. Roberts, Four Years Voy., 169. So I unreev’d the Topping Lift, Main Haliards, and *Jibb Haliards, and bent them.
1861. Times, 16 Aug., 10/5. The Christabel had a *jib-headed topsail up, and completed her race with much less labour than her rival had done.
1881. Standard, 22 June, 3/7. All having jibheaded topsails and whole mainsails set.
1899. Daily News, 19 July, 5/7. The Britannia … substituted a jackyarder for a *jibheader.
1752. Beawes, Lex Mercat. Rediv., 268. Lying too, with her *Gib Sail hauled to windward, and her Mizzen Sail set.
1861. Smiles, Engineers, II. 36. In this situation the jibsail was blown to pieces.
1825. H. B. Gascoigne, Nav. Fame, 51. Starboard the helm, the slack *Jib-sheet haul Aft.
1828. M. Scott, Tom Cringle, xix. In a minute the jibsheet was again hauled over to leeward, and away she was like an arrow, crowding all sail.
1875. Bedford, Sailor’s Pocket Bk. (ed. 2), iii. 59. If under sail and about to tack, let fly the jib-sheet.
1752. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Ship (Plate), Flying *Jibb Stay and Sails.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 48. Let go the jibstay.
1794. Rigging & Seamanship, I. 179. The *Jib-traveller is a circular iron hoop, with a hook and shackle, used to haul out the tack of the jib.
