plain sail

American  

noun

Nautical.

1. any of the ordinary working sails of a vessel.

2. all these sails, taken collectively.

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Etymology

Origin of plain sail

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plain sail

The wind had softened away to about a four-knot breeze; but Leslie was of opinion that, although she showed all plain sail, up to her royals, she was scarcely doing three knots.

From Dick Leslie's Luck A Story of Shipwreck and Adventure by Harold Piffard

We weighed anchor in the afternoon of October 9, and got out of the harbour under all plain sail.

From The Cruise of the 'Alerte' The narrative of a search for treasure on the desert island of Trinidad by E. F. (Edward Frederick) Knight

Apparently she had been under all plain sail when the thing happened.

From Overdue The Story of a Missing Ship by W. Herbert Holloway

It were plain sailin' gittin' out o' the harbor, an', as the weather were fair with a stiddy wind, I let the colt go along under plain sail.

From Harper's Round Table, June 25, 1895 by Various

And so, after a narrow squeak of being cut down by a big steamer just outside, we found ourselves close-hauled under all plain sail, making a long leg with a short one to follow.

From The Recipe for Diamonds by Charles John Cutcliffe Wright Hyne