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Rudder

//ˈɹʌdə(ɹ)// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An underwater vane used to steer a vessel. The rudder is controlled by means of a wheel, tiller or other apparatus (modern vessels can be controlled even with a joystick or an autopilot).
  2. 2
    (nautical) steering mechanism consisting of a hinged vertical plate mounted at the stern of a vessel wordnet
  3. 3
    A control surface on the vertical stabilizer of a fixed-wing aircraft or an autogyro. On some craft, the entire vertical stabilizer comprises the rudder. The rudder is controlled by foot-operated control pedals.
  4. 4
    a hinged vertical airfoil mounted at the tail of an aircraft and used to make horizontal course changes wordnet
  5. 5
    A riddle or sieve.
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    That which resembles a rudder as a guide or governor; that which guides or governs the course. figuratively

    "For rhyme the rudder is of verses,/With which, like ships, they steer their courses."

  2. 7
    The tail of an otter.

    "He sniffed Tarka’s hair from rudder to neck, and his nose remained at the neck. It was a strange smell, and he sniffed carefully, not wanting to touch the fur with his nostrils."

Etymology

From Middle English rodder, rother, ruder, from Old English rōþor (“oar, rudder”), from Proto-West Germanic *rōþr, from Proto-Germanic *rōþrą (“oar, rudder”) (compare Dutch and West Frisian roer, German Ruder), from Proto-Germanic *rōaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁- (“to row”) + Proto-Germanic *-þrą, *-þraz, instrumental suffix. Akin to Old English rōwan (“to row”). More at rōwan, -þor.

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