bight

[ bahyt ]

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.

verb (used with object)

1. to fasten with a bight of rope.

bight

¹

/ 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

verb

1. tr to fasten or bind with a bight

Bight

²

noun

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

bight

/ 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bight¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bight¹

Old English byht ; see bow ²

Example Sentences

The Bight Swelter—named one of Gear Patrol’s top “synthetic down” jackets of the year—exemplifies Power Fill’s place in the world of alpine mountaineering.

From Outside Online

Humans, however, are rarely seen—the Bight is more than man can chew...

From The Daily Beast

Harry had already made a bowline in a bight at the end of a line.

From Project Gutenberg

Toggle: A pin placed through the bight or eye of a rope to secure it round a stay, mast, etc.

From Project Gutenberg

Peaks, on the main topmast-stay, caught Howe in the very act of passing the gasket through the bight of the buntline.

From Project Gutenberg

I was deep in the bottle-neck bight of the sands, jammed on a lee shore, and a strong flood tide sweeping me on.

From Project Gutenberg

Reaching the rope over his head, he went up, hand over hand, till he had slack enough to make a bight for one of his feet.

From Project Gutenberg