bight

American  

[bahyt] / baɪt /

noun

1. the middle part of a rope, as distinguished from the ends.

2. the loop or bent part of a rope, as distinguished from the ends.

3. a bend or curve in the shore of a sea or river.

4. a body of water bounded by such a bend.

5. a bay or gulf.

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verb (used with object)

1. to fasten with a bight of rope.

bight ¹ British  

/ baɪt /

noun

1. a wide indentation of a shoreline, or the body of water bounded by such a curve

2. the slack middle part of an extended rope

3. a curve or loop in a rope

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verb

1. (tr) to fasten or bind with a bight

Bight ² British  

noun

1. In full: the Great Australian Bight.  informal the major indentation of the S coast of Australia, from Cape Pasley in W Australia to the Eyre Peninsula in S Australia

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bight Scientific  

/ bīt /

1. A long, gradual bend or curve in a shoreline. A bight can be larger than a bay, or it can be a segment of a bay.

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Etymology

Origin of bight

First recorded before 1000; Middle English byght, Old English byht “bend, bay”; cognate with Dutch bocht, German Bucht; akin to bow ¹

Example Sentences

The Australia Institute said its polling suggested an overwhelming majority of South Australians wanted the bight to be given world heritage protection and most Australians opposed allowing companies to drill for oil there.

From The Guardian • Dec. 18, 2019

Even with a young team, the Anteaters advanced to the Big West Tournament final, so the future should be bight.

From Washington Times • Mar. 11, 2018

The shallow bight, more than a mile wide in places, runs east to west and cuts Andros roughly in half.

From Washington Post • Oct. 14, 2015

The boardwalk weaves along the bight from the ferry terminal on Grinnell to the end of Front Street.

From New York Times • Apr. 29, 2015

I could just drift, he thought, and sleep and put a bight of line around my toe to wake me.

From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway