loof

¹ American  

[loof] / luf /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. the palm of the hand.

---

loof ² American  

[loof] / luf /

noun

Nautical.

1. the tapering of a hull toward the stern.

2. Now Rare. the broad after part of the bows of a vessel.

3. Now Rare. luff.

---

Etymology

Origin of loof¹

1300–50; Middle English lofe < Old Norse lōfi, cognate with Gothic lōfa

Origin of loof²

Special uses of loof ¹

Example Sentences

Khobeizah, or common mallow, and loof, a flowering perennial plant with bright green leaves, were some of the edible plants found growing wild that her mother cooked.

From New York Times • Oct. 19, 2022

And I kiss my loof to ye, Mr. Balfour,” says she, suiting the action to the word; “and a braw journey to ye back to where ye cam frae.”

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 11 (of 25) by Stevenson, Robert Louis

The gossip keekit in his loof, Quo’ she, wha lives will see the proof.

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

Auld baudrans by the ingle sits, An’ wi’ her loof her face a-washin’; But Willie’s wife is nae sae trig, She dights her grunzie wi’ a hushion.

From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert

"That's not reading the hand at all, goodwife," said I; "those small facts of life are never written in a line across the loof."

From John Splendid The Tale of a Poor Gentleman, and the Little Wars of Lorn by Munro, Neil