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sail
[seyl]
noun
an area of canvas or other fabric extended to the wind in such a way as to transmit the force of the wind to an assemblage of spars and rigging mounted firmly on a hull, raft, iceboat, etc., so as to drive it along.
some similar piece or apparatus, as the part of an arm that catches the wind on a windmill.
a voyage or excursion, especially in a sailing vessel.
They went for a sail around the island.
a sailing vessel or ship.
sailing vessels collectively.
The fleet numbered 30 sail.
sails for a vessel or vessels collectively.
Astronomy., Sail, the constellation Vela.
verb (used without object)
to move along or travel over water.
steamships sailing to Lisbon.
to manage a sailboat, especially for sport.
to begin a journey by water.
We are sailing at dawn.
to move along in a manner suggestive of a sailing vessel.
caravans sailing along.
to move along in a stately, effortless way.
to sail into a room.
verb (used with object)
to sail upon, over, or through.
to sail the seven seas.
to navigate (a vessel).
verb phrase
sail in / into
to go vigorously into action; begin to act; attack.
to attack verbally.
He would sail into his staff when work was going badly.
sail
/ seɪl /
noun
an area of fabric, usually Terylene or nylon (formerly canvas), with fittings for holding it in any suitable position to catch the wind, used for propelling certain kinds of vessels, esp over water
a voyage on such a vessel
a sail down the river
a vessel with sails or such vessels collectively
to travel by sail
we raised seven sail in the northeast
a ship's sails collectively
something resembling a sail in shape, position, or function, such as the part of a windmill that is turned by the wind or the part of a Portuguese man-of-war that projects above the water
the conning tower of a submarine
having the sail set
to run up the sail or to run up more sail
to begin a voyage
to embark on a voyage by ship
to hoist sail
with sail hoisted
under way
verb
to travel in a boat or ship
we sailed to Le Havre
to begin a voyage; set sail
we sail at 5 o'clock
(of a vessel) to move over the water
the liner is sailing to the Caribbean
(tr) to manoeuvre or navigate a vessel
he sailed the schooner up the channel
(tr) to sail over
she sailed the Atlantic single-handed
to move fast or effortlessly
we sailed through customs
the ball sailed over the fence
to move along smoothly; glide
informal
to begin (something) with vigour
to make an attack (on) violently with words or physical force
Other Word Forms
- sailable adjective
- sailless adjective
- unsailable adjective
- unsailed adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of sail1
Word History and Origins
Origin of sail1
Idioms and Phrases
set sail, to start a sea voyage.
We set sail at midnight for Nantucket.
in sail, with the sails set.
make sail,
to set the sail or sails of a boat or increase the amount of sail already set.
to set out on a voyage.
Make sail for the Leeward Islands.
under sail, with sails set; in motion; sailing.
It was good to be under sail in the brisk wind and under the warm sun.
trim one's sails, to cut expenses; economize.
We're going to have to trim our sails if we stay in business.
More idioms and phrases containing sail
Example Sentences
The core vessels in the Gaza Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona, Spain, more than a month ago with volunteers from dozens of countries to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
Three years later, the ship has yet to sail.
At one point Saturday a cup of beer sailed out of the crowd and hit the brim of a hat worn by McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, who was walking next to her husband.
The GSF flotilla set sail for Gaza from Spain at the end of last month, with other boats joining from Tunisia and other ports later, the GSF said.
But in a statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said it would continue to sail.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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