United States dancer and choreographer (born in 1922)
"The contemporary dance festival honored Cunningham's innovative choreography by staging a tribute to his life work."
A downhaul located at the tack of a sail, used for tightening the luff.
"The crew adjusted the cunningham to tighten the luff and flatten the mainsail for better performance in strong winds."
"The cunninghams are known for their elaborate birthday parties that everyone in town attends every year."
Usage: The Cunningham is a specific rope on a boat's mainsail that tightens the fabric near the bottom to improve aerodynamics and prevent flapping in strong winds. Sailors often confuse it with other downhails like outhauls or vang, but its unique placement at the tack distinguishes its function from lines controlling sail shape elsewhere.
A Scottish habitational surname from a place in Ayrshire.
"The Cunningham family name originated as a Scottish habitation derived from their ancestral lands in Ayrshire."
The word cunningham comes from the Scottish Gaelic name Coineagan for a district in Ayrshire. This place name likely combines elements meaning "king" or "rabbit" with a term for home or village to describe the area.