among seamen, the contracting a sail into a narrower compass, in a storm, by retrenching, or folding up a part of it at one corner: this method is used in contradistinction to reefing, which is common to all the principal sails; whereas balancing is peculiar to few, such as the mizen of a ship, and the main sail of those vessels wherein it is extended by a boom. See BOOM and REEF.—The balance of the mizen is thus performed: the mizen yard is lowered a little, then a small portion of the sail is rolled up at the peak or upper corner, and fastened to the yard about one-fifth inward from the outer end or yard-arm toward the mast. See MIZEN.—A boom main-sail is balanced, after all its reefs are taken in, by rolling up a similar portion of the hindmost or aftmost lower corner called the clue, and fastening it strongly to the boom, having previously wrapped a piece of old canvas round the part (which is done in both cases) to prevent the sail from being fretted by the cord which fastens it.