in the sea-language, is a term used in various senses: thus, the loof of a ship is that part of her aloft, which lies just before the chest-tree; hence the guns which lie there are called loof-pieces: keep your loof, signifies, keep the ship near to the wind; to loof into a harbour, is to sail into it close by the wind; loof up, is to keep nearer the wind; to spring the loof, is when a ship that was going large before the wind, is brought close by the wind.