How to use jib in a sentence

24 example sentences · noun, verb

Jib means a triangular staysail set forward of the foremast. In a sloop (see image) the basic jib reaches back roughly to the level of the mast. Example: “They needa’ watch they jibs.”

Examples of jib by meaning

nounA person's face.

Whipping around I saw Herman with a stunned expression on his jib.2017, Al Kent, Custodians of the Hummingbird, page 491

verbTo stop and refuse to go forward (usually of a horse).

The lama jibbed at the open door of a crowded third-class carriage. ‘Were it not better to walk?’ said he weakly.1901, Rudyard Kipling, chapter 2, in Kim
"Where are we going?" she asked, jibbing capriciously in the descent.1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 119

verbTo express reluctance; to balk.

I hadn't much chance of buying a practice or dropping into a partnership worth having and I jibbed at setting up in some God-forsaken backwater and slipping into middle age 'building up a connection.'1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards...
The Parlement scarcely jibbed.2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 318

nounThe mouth, sometimes particularly the tongue, underlip, or tooth.

They needa’ watch they jibs.

More sentences with jib

I like the cut of that jib.From the entry cut
She jibbed me out of the money.From the entry jib out
Symmetrophiles calibrated to the milieu were skeletal sloops rigged with prettily cut jibs and tawdry spinnakers.2016, Frank Morris, The Pearl in the Diamond World, Morrisville, N.C.: Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 59. From the entry symmetrophile
Take in the mizzen altogether, and put up the storm jib!2015, Ralph Demers, Sand Dollars, page xiii. From the entry drogue
Cousino, 24, competes in a variety of disciplines, but said, “Now, jibbing is huge.”2007 February 8, Matt Higgins, “Riding the Rails All Over Union Sq.”, in New York Times. From the entry jibbing
"Let's get that jib in," I said, using what I hoped was a calm and captainlike voice.1980, Donald Hamilton, Cruises with Kathleen. From the entry captainlike
Trim the leech of the jib parallel to the main by watching the slot between the mainsail and the jib.2004, Gary Jobson, Gary Jobson's Championship Sailing, page 176. From the entry leech
The Patented Hoyt Jib Boom adds to offwind speed by vanging the jib and acting as a built in whisker pole.1999 January, Cruising World, volume 25, number 1, page 80. From the entry vang
This allows the jib to move up, frees the halyard slightly so the tack and peak move away from forestay.1975, Bob Ross, Introduction to Yacht Racing, page 111. From the entry forebeam
Up went the jib and then the mainsail.1950 October, MotorBoating, →ISSN, page 21. From the entry Dutchman's breeches
Thought something was wrong by the cut of her jib.1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 13: Nausicaa]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 351. From the entry cut of one's jib
One of the men, the slender fellow, walked climbingly out on the jib boom; and from there, leaped.1920, Gordon Young, “Hurricane Williams”, in Adventure, page 78. From the entry climbingly
Jack thinks, by the cut of their jibs, they were Frenchmen, one an officer and the other his servant.1911, John Oxenham [pseudonym; William Arthur Dunkerley], “An Unexpected Guest”, in The Coil of Carne, Toronto, Ont.: The Copp, Clark Co.…. From the entry cut of one's jib
“Haul in your jib sheet and flatten those staysails sharp!1901, The Ghost Ship author=John Conroy Hutcheson, Chapter Six. From the entry broach to
One was to a coalcutterman who was caught and mutilated by the coalcutter picks whilst the jib was being withdrawn from under the coal.1949, Great Britain Ministry of Fuel and Power, Reports of H.M. Inspectors of Mines Under the Coal Mines Act, 1911. From the entry coalcutter
The jibs were extended partially, and the grappling-hooks attached to steel cables, which had been positioned under the engine a week previously.1946 March and April, C. R. L. Coles, “Re-Railing the Locomotive at Bourne End”, in Railway Magazine, page 96. From the entry grappling hook
The tower is mounted on a slewing platform, which also carries the power plant and the counterweights, while the jib is supported and luffed by fixed pendant ropes.1999, Howard I. Shapiro, Jay P. Shapiro, Lawrence K. Shapiro, Cranes and Derricks, →ISBN, page 95. From the entry luff
The cutting chain of a longwall coalcutter was reversed in an attempt to free the jib which had become fast, and an assistant coalcutterman was caught by the moving picks.1955, Reports of H.M. Inspectors of Mines Under the Coal Mines Act, page 14. From the entry coalcutter

Meaning of jib

noun A triangular staysail set forward of the foremast. In a sloop (see image) the basic jib reaches back roughly to the level of the mast.
noun Any of a variety of specialty triangular staysails set forward of the foremast.
verb To shift, or swing around, as a sail, boom, yard, etc., as in tacking.

Full definition of jib

Questions about jib in a sentence

How do you use jib in a sentence?: Jib is used as a noun and verb. For example: “They needa’ watch they jibs.”
What is a short sentence with jib?: “The Parlement scarcely jibbed.”
What does jib mean?: Jib means a triangular staysail set forward of the foremast. In a sloop (see image) the basic jib reaches back roughly to the level of the mast.

Adapted from Wiktionary: jib (page history and authors) and the entries each sentence comes from. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws chose the sentences, left out offensive ones and quotations older than 1900, and marked the word in each. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this page: “How to use jib in a sentence.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/sentences/jib. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.