1 C1 neutral
(nautical) To lower a sail by slackening or releasing the clew lines, allowing it to drop.
"The captain ordered the crew to clew down the mainsail as they entered the harbor."
separable
clew down
C1 neutral separable transitive
A nautical term meaning to lower a sail by slackening the clew lines.
In plain English
To let down the bottom corners of a sail so it falls downward.
What does "clew down" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To release the clew (corner) of a sail downward.
Actually means
To let down the bottom corners of a sail so it falls downward.
Usage tip
Exclusively nautical. A 'clew' is the lower corner of a sail. 'Clew down' is the opposite of 'clew up.' Used in traditional sailing, particularly with square-rigged vessels. Very rare outside of maritime contexts.
Words that pair with "clew down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sail foresail mainsail yard lines
How to conjugate "clew down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
clew down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
clews down
he/she/it
Past simple
clewed down
yesterday
Past participle
clewed down
have + pp
-ing form
clewing down
continuous
Hear "clew down" in the wild
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