dead-wind

The ship sails into a dead-wind.

Definition

1. Noun (Nautical):
   • A wind that blows directly from the direction of travel, making progress difficult or impossible; a headwind.
   • Specifically, in maritime contexts, a "dead-wind" is a wind that opposes a vessel's intended course, often requiring tacking or other maneuvers to advance.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The ship struggled to make headway against the dead-wind. (The vessel faced a strong opposing wind that slowed its progress.)
  • Sailors dread a dead-wind because it forces them to change their route. (A headwind makes sailing inefficient and challenging.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be caught in a dead-wind": to be unable to move forward due to an opposing wind.

  • The small boat was caught in a dead-wind and could not reach the harbor. (The boat was stalled by the headwind.)

• "dead-wind tack": a sailing maneuver used to navigate against a headwind by zigzagging.

  • The crew executed a series of dead-wind tacks to make progress. (They used alternating angles to sail against the wind.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dead-wind (adj): describing a condition of having a headwind.

  • The dead-wind conditions made the voyage longer than expected. (The opposing wind extended the journey.)

• Headwind (n): a synonym for dead-wind, meaning a wind blowing directly against the direction of travel.

  • The cyclist struggled against a strong headwind. (The wind slowed the cyclist’s forward motion.)

Synonyms

• Headwind: a wind that opposes forward motion.
• Contrary wind: an unfavorable wind that hinders travel.

Related Idioms

• "To sail against the wind": to proceed despite opposition or difficulty (metaphorical).

  • His career was like sailing against the wind, full of obstacles. (He faced constant challenges.)

• "To have the wind against one": to encounter resistance or adversity.

  • The team had the wind against them, but they still won the game. (They faced unfavorable conditions.)