1.(Naut.) A small ship's boat, usually rowed by four or six oars. (Written also yaul)
2.A fore-and-aft-rigged vessel with two masts, a mainmast carrying a mainsail and jibs, taller than the mizzenmast and stepped a little farther forward than in a sloop, and with the mizzenmast, or jiggermast far aft, usually placed aft of the water line or aft the rudder post. The mizzenmast of a yawl is smaller, and set further aft, than that of a sloop.