Is 'raffee' still used on modern ships?

No, it is an obsolete term specific to the rigging of historical sailing ships.

Where would I encounter the word 'raffee' today?

Primarily in historical novels, maritime history books, or documents about traditional sailing.

What part of speech is 'raffee'?

It is primarily a noun, but can be used attributively as an adjective (e.g., raffee yard).

How do you pronounce 'raffee'?

It is pronounced with a short 'a' as in 'cat', followed by a long 'e' sound: /ˈræfiː/.

raffee

Obsolete / Technical

UK/ˈræfiː/US/ˈræfi/

Technical / Historical nautical

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A small sail set above a topgallant sail in light winds.

In nautical terminology, a light sail used to increase speed in gentle breezes.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Specific to traditional sailing ship rigging; rarely used in modern contexts except historical or specialist literature.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant modern usage differences; term is equally archaic in both variants.

Connotations

Historical sailing; traditional seamanship.

Frequency

Extremely rare; primarily found in 18th-19th century nautical texts.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

set a raffeehoist the raffeeroyal raffee

medium

light raffeeraffee sailraffee yard

weak

wind for a raffeeunder raffee

Grammar

Valency Patterns

The crew set the [raffee] in the light breeze.

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

skyraffeemoonraker

Neutral

light sailkite

Weak

topgallant studdingsail

Vocabulary

Antonyms

storm sailreefed sail

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“under raffee and royals - sailing with all possible light sails set”

Usage

Context Usage

Academic

Historical maritime studies.

Technical

Traditional sailing ship rigging specifications.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

They raffeed the topgallant to catch the zephyr.

American English

They rigged the raffee to gain an extra knot.

adjective

British English

The raffee rigging was neatly stowed.

American English

The raffee sail fluttered in the breeze.

Examples

By CEFR Level

The ship used a raffee in calm weather.

With the wind dropping, the captain ordered the raffee to be set above the topgallant.

The intricate system of royals and raffees allowed the clipper to maintain speed in the faintest airs.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

RAFFEE = Raising Additional Fabric For Extra Efficiency.

Conceptual Metaphor

Supplemental capacity / auxiliary boost.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not confuse with 'coffee' or the Russian 'рафия' (raffia).

Common Mistakes

Spelling: 'raffy', 'rafee'. Using in modern yachting contexts.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

In light winds, the sailors set the above the topgallant sail.

Multiple Choice

What is a 'raffee'?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, it is an obsolete term specific to the rigging of historical sailing ships.
: Primarily in historical novels, maritime history books, or documents about traditional sailing.
: It is primarily a noun, but can be used attributively as an adjective (e.g., raffee yard).
: It is pronounced with a short 'a' as in 'cat', followed by a long 'e' sound: /ˈræfiː/.