Rhumb

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Rhumb \Rhumb\, n. [F. rumb, Sp. rumbo, or Pg. rumbo, rumo,
     probably fr. Gr. ??? a magic wheel, a whirling motion, hence
     applied to a point of the compass. See {Rhomb}.] (Navigation)
     A line which crosses successive meridians at a constant
     angle; -- called also {rhumb line}, and {loxodromic curve}.
     See {Loxodromic}.


     [1913 Webster]
  
     {To sail on a rhumb}, to sail continuously on one course,
        following a rhumb line.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  rhumb
       n : a line on a sphere that cuts all meridians at the same
           angle; the path taken by a ship or plane that maintains a
           constant compass direction [syn: {rhumb line}, {loxodrome}]