jib
cut of (one's) jib
A person's general appearance, manner, mien, style, demeanor, or personality. A reference to the jib sails of a boat (which denoted a ship's allegiance, and therefore potential hostility), it is usually used in the phrase "like the cut of one's jib." I like the cut of your jib—you've got a brazenness in business that's pretty rare these days. I'm not sure why I don't get along with Sarah. I just don't like the cut of her jib.
See also: cut, jib, of
reef in the sail(s)
To reduce the area of one or more sails while they are being used by winding them over a roller or tying them up at particular points. There's too much wind to be at full sail—it's dragging the whole boat to one side. I'll keep a steady course while you go and reef in the mainsail. We should be fine if we just reef in the jib, I think. The captain ordered us to reef in the sails before the storm hit.
See also: reef
reef the sail(s)
To reduce the area of one or more sails while they are being used by winding them over a roller or tying them up at particular points. Often specified as "the mainsail," "the jib," etc. There's too much wind to be at full sail—it's dragging the whole boat to one side. I'll keep a steady course while you go and reef the mainsail. We should be fine if we just reef the jib, I think. The captain ordered us to reef the sails in before the storm hit.
See also: reef
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
cut of one's jib
One's general appearance or personality, as in I don't like the cut of Ben's jib. In the 17th century the shape of the jib sail often identified a vessel's nationality, and hence whether it was hostile or friendly. The term was being used figuratively by the early 1800s, often to express like or dislike for someone.
See also: cut, jib, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
the cut of someone's jib
the appearance or look of a person.This was originally a nautical expression suggested by the prominence and characteristic form of the jib (a triangular sail set forward of the foremast) as the identifying characteristic of a ship.
See also: cut, jib, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
cut of his/her jib, I don't like the
I don’t like his/her general appearance or manner. The jib is a triangular foresail, and in the days of sailing ships sailors often would recognize the nationality of a particular vessel by the precise shape of its jib. By 1800 or so the term had been transferred to human beings. In 1823 Robert Southey wrote, in a letter, that the likability of some individuals “depends something upon the cut of their jib.”
See also: cut, like, of
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- cut of (one's) jib
- cut of one's jib
- the cut of someone's jib
- cut of his/her jib, I don't like the
- back and fill
- back and fill, to
- filling
- in a minor key
- minor
- more to the point