arrizar

A nautical verb meaning to reef a sail — gathering and tying up part of the sail to reduce the area exposed to the wind, done in strong winds to keep a sailboat stable and prevent capsizing. Purely a sailing term, not used outside that context.

• Los marineros arrizaron la vela ante el temporal. — The sailors reefed the sail as the storm approached.
• Hay que arrizar cuando el viento supera los treinta nudos. — You need to reef when the wind exceeds thirty knots.
• Arrizaron a tiempo y evitaron que el bote volcara. — They reefed in time and kept the boat from capsizing.

Confusing arrizar with arriar — arrizar reduces a sail's exposed area by tying part of it up, while arriar lowers a sail or flag entirely; they're related nautical actions but not the same maneuver.

Often confused with arriar.