rudder

[ ruhd-er ]
See synonyms for rudder on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Nautical. a vertical blade at the stern of a vessel that can be turned horizontally to change the vessel's direction when in motion.

  2. Aeronautics. a movable control surface attached to a vertical stabilizer, located at the rear of an airplane and used, along with the ailerons, to turn the airplane.

  1. any means of or device for governing, directing, or guiding a course, as a leader or principle: His ideas provided a rudder for the new company.

Origin of rudder

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English rodder, rother, ruder, Old English rōther; cognate with Old Frisian rōther, Middle Dutch rōder (Dutch roer ), Old High German ruodar (German Ruder ); akin to row2

Other words from rudder

  • rud·dered, adjective
  • rud·der·less, adjective
  • rud·der·like, adjective
  • un·rud·dered, adjective

Words Nearby rudder

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use rudder in a sentence

  • With difficulty he induced the scared ryot to take the rudder while he explained the new project.

    The Red Year | Louis Tracy
  • A single oar used rather as rudder than paddle guides the tank to the middle of the stream, where it floats to its destination.

  • Mr Jones, without making a remark of any kind, shipped the rudder; the other four pulled.

  • The sea seemed to be fining off a bit, so they looked round, and found to their horror that the rudder was gone.

    The Chequers | James Runciman
  • On the deck aft, about a couple of feet in advance of the rudder-head, are fitted two brass stanchions.

    Yachting Vol. 2 | Various.

British Dictionary definitions for rudder

rudder

/ (ˈrʌdə) /


noun
  1. nautical a pivoted vertical vane that projects into the water at the stern of a vessel and can be controlled by a tiller, wheel, or other apparatus to steer the vessel

  2. a vertical control surface attached to the rear of the fin used to steer an aircraft, in conjunction with the ailerons

  1. anything that guides or directs

Origin of rudder

1
Old English rōther; related to Old French rōther, Old High German ruodar, Old Norse rōthr . See row ²

Derived forms of rudder

  • rudderless, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012