adj

yar

yah

adj

Nimble and quick to handle, especially of a small sailing boat.

"The little sloop was yar, cutting through the chop with barely a touch of the tiller."

How to Use Yar

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDescribes a boat that handles nimbly and responds quickly to the helm — an old nautical compliment.

When to use it

Archaic/dialectal; rarely used outside sailing writing or historical fiction.

Word Forms

more yar comparative, yarer comparative, yarred past tense, yars singular, most yar superlative, yarest superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The little sloop was _____, cutting through the chop with barely a touch of the tiller.

Etymology

From Old English ġeorran/gyrran ("to creak, grate, chatter"), an ancient Germanic word for making a rough noise; the sailing sense developed as a dialectal offshoot meaning quick and responsive.

Rhymes for yar

boyar

See all rhymes for yar →