backwind

1 of 2

noun

: a wind blowing onto the wrong side of a sail

especially : one directed upon a mainsail by a wrongly trimmed jib

backwind

2 of 2

transitive verb

"

1

: to direct a backwind upon

a jib thus bellied is most apt to backwind the mainsail

2

: to sail to windward of (another sailing ship) so as to blanket or interfere with the wind

backwind his opponent in a yacht race

Word History

Etymology

Noun

back entry 3 + wind

First Known Use

Noun

1909, in the meaning defined above

Transitive Verb

1899, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!