1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 5, When this conversation was repeated in detail within the hearing of the young woman in question, and undoubtedly for his benefit, Mr. Trevor threw shame to the winds and scandalized the Misses Brewster then and there by proclaiming his father to have been a country storekeeper.
(nautical) To reduce the area and efficiency of a sail by expedient means (e.g. slacking the peak and tricing up the tack) without properly reefing, thus slowing boat speed.
