Meaning & use
jibs
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“jibs” is a form of “jib”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable
The triangular sail at the front of a sailing boat, in front of the mast.
Grammar: Countable: one jib, two jibs.
Patterns
- hoist the jib
- trim the jib
The crew hoisted the jib as they left the harbor.
In strong winds, we reefed the main and changed to a smaller jib.
The jib flapped loudly before the sailor trimmed it.
verbintransitiveinformal
To refuse to do something, especially because you disagree or are stubborn.
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'at' or 'on': jib at the price, jib on the deal.
Patterns
- jib at something
- jib on something
The workers jibbed at the new safety rules.
She jibbed on the agreement at the last minute.
He jibbed at paying such a high price.
Word forms
| third person singular | jibs |
|---|---|
| past tense | jibbed |
| past participle | jibbed |
| present participle | jibbing |
| plural | jibs |
Common combinations
- hoist the jib
- The captain ordered the crew to hoist the jib.
- jib at the cost
- They jibbed at the cost of the repairs.
- change the jib
- We changed the jib when the wind picked up.
- jib on the plan
- He jibbed on the plan because it seemed risky.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- jib noun
- The singular form of the sail or the act of refusing.
Commonly confused: jibs or jibe?
jibs vs jibe
A 'jibe' can mean a taunting remark or, in sailing, to shift a sail; it is not the same as 'jib'.
Practice
In sailing, what is a jib?
Choose one answer.
A jib is a triangular sail set forward of the mast. The other options are different parts of a boat or equipment.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jibs”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.