drogues

Noun

drogue (plural drogues)

1. (whaling) A floating object attached to the end of a harpoon line to slow a whale down and prevent it from diving.
   • through the sash window I could see the black truck pulling up the drive towards the main road, the silver caravan coming behind like a drogue that was preventing the gypsies from submerging, escaping into the very centre of the earth.1993, Will Self, My Idea of Fun
2. A type of bag pulled behind a boat to stop it from broaching to.
3. A conical parachute used as a brake for some kinds of aircraft, or as a means of extracting and deploying a larger parachute, or to slow a rapidly-moving vehicle to a speed where it can safely deploy a larger parachute.
   • At 11,000 feet, three pilot chutes deploy as the drogue chutes are cut away by pyrotechnics.2020, John Rocco, How We Got to the Moon, page 118

   Synonyms:

   drag parachute, drag chute, drogue chute, drogue parachute

4. A conical basket or device used variously as a target for gunnery practice, and as a docking point for aerial refuelling.
5. A wind cone.

See all 9 meanings of drogue