GAFF

Gaff is a term with several distinct meanings in English, depending on the context. It is not to be confused with “gaffe,” which refers to a social blunder. Among its principal senses are a fishing tool, a sailing spar, and a piece of slang used in Irish English to mean a house or home.

In fishing, a gaff is a long-handled tool with a hooked end used to assist in landing large fish. The hook is often barbed to secure the catch as it is hauled aboard, reducing the risk of the fish escaping. Gaffs are typically made from wood or fiberglass and are used by hand, in contrast to nets or longline gear.

In nautical use, a gaff is a spar on a fore-and-aft sail. It is mounted at the head of the sail and attached to halyards to control sail shape and angle. This type of gaff is characteristic of gaff-rigged vessels, including traditional sailing ships and some modern boats that adopt a historical rig design.

In Irish English, the term gaff commonly means a home or house, as in “going back to the gaff.” The word can also appear as a surname or in place names and various regional expressions, reflecting its diverse linguistic roots.

Overall, gaff functions as a polysemous term with specialized meanings in fishing and sailing, and a broader colloquial use in certain dialects to denote a residence.