drop of a sail

Depth Depth (s[e^]pth), n. [From {Deep}; akin to D. diepte, Icel. d[=y]pt, d[=y]p[eth], Goth. diupi[thorn]a.] 1. The quality of being deep; deepness; perpendicular measurement downward from the surface, or horizontal measurement backward from the front; as, the depth of a river; the depth of a body of troops. [1913 Webster]

2. Profoundness; extent or degree of intensity; abundance; completeness; as, depth of knowledge, or color. [1913 Webster]

Mindful of that heavenly love Which knows no end in depth or height. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

3. Lowness; as, depth of sound. [1913 Webster]

4. That which is deep; a deep, or the deepest, part or place; the deep; the middle part; as, the depth of night, or of winter. [1913 Webster]

From you unclouded depth above. --Keble. [1913 Webster]

The depth closed me round about. --Jonah ii. 5. [1913 Webster]

5. (Logic) The number of simple elements which an abstract conception or notion includes; the comprehension or content. [1913 Webster]

6. (Horology) A pair of toothed wheels which work together. [R.] [1913 Webster]

7. (A["e]ronautics) The perpendicular distance from the chord to the farthest point of an arched surface. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

8. (Computers) the maximum number of times a type of procedure is reiteratively called before the last call is exited; -- of subroutines or procedures which are reentrant; -- used of call stacks. [PJC]

{Depth of a sail} (Naut.), the extent of a square sail from the head rope to the foot rope; the length of the after leach of a staysail or boom sail; -- commonly called the {drop of a sail}. [1913 Webster]