Word of the Day
3 June 2026
crab
To navigate (an aircraft, e.g. a glider) sideways against an air current in order to maintain a straight-line course.
Why this one
Named for the sideways scuttle: the nose points into the wind while the track over the ground stays straight. The same word gets used for a crane bridge or a dozer drifting off its line.
In use
He was crabbing into that crosswind most of the way down, straightened her out right before the wheels touched.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.Sources
- Definition sourceWiktionary