In maritime parlance and admiralty law. To stop a sailing vessel’s headway by bringing her head “into the wind,” that is, in the direction from which the wind blows. A steamer is said to be “hove to" when held In such a position that she takes the heaviest seas upon her quar-ter. The Hugo (D. C.) 57 Fed. 411
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
