sail

[ seyl ]

/ seɪl /

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See synonyms for: sail / sailed / sailing on Thesaurus.com

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.

Sail, Astronomy. 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 Phrases

sail in / into Informal.

to go vigorously into action; begin to act; attack.
to attack verbally: He would sail into his staff when work was going badly.

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Idioms about sail

in sail, with the sails set.

make sail, Nautical.

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.

set sail, to start a sea voyage: We set sail at midnight for Nantucket.

trim one's sails, Informal. to cut expenses; economize: We're going to have to trim our sails if we stay in business.

under sail, with sails set; in motion; sailing: It was good to be under sail in the brisk wind and under the warm sun.

Origin of sail

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English sail(e), seille, Old English segl; cognate with German Segel, Old Norse segl; (verb) Middle English seillen, saylen, Old English siglan, seglian; cognate with Dutch zeilen, Old Norse sigla

OTHER WORDS FROM sail

sail·a·ble, adjectivesailless, adjectiveun·sail·a·ble, adjectiveun·sailed, adjective

Words nearby sail

said, Saida, saiga, Saigon, Saigo Takamori, sail, sailboard, sailboarding, sailboat, sail close to the wind, sailcloth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sail in a sentence

Aspiring doctors have the wind taken out of their sails in a tough organic chemistry class.
Why regret hurts so much—and why it’s good for us|Sarah Todd|September 6, 2020|Quartz
A small gap exists between neurons, so to get to the other side, the electrical signals generally need to be converted into little bubble ships, packed with chemicals, and set sail to the other neuronal shore.
Scientists Used Dopamine to Seamlessly Merge Artificial and Biological Neurons|Shelly Fan|June 23, 2020|Singularity Hub
Just like your sailboat’s not going anywhere fast without a sail, your content isn’t going to help you reach your goals if people can’t find it.
Content creation guide: How to effectively think of SEO at every stage|Kelsey Raymond|June 19, 2020|Search Engine Watch
Content marketing and SEO are like a sailboat and its sail, they need each other.
Content creation guide: How to effectively think of SEO at every stage|Kelsey Raymond|June 19, 2020|Search Engine Watch

In essence, the carrack eschewed any form of oar-based system, instead entirely relying on sails.
Know Your Historical Warships: From 7th Century BC – 17th Century AD|Dattatreya Mandal|April 4, 2020|Realm of History
Some refugees wait for days on the ships before setting sail.
Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They get $8 million to dredge the channel for pleasure boats to sail to Catalina Island.
Congress’ Gift That Keeps on Giving|P. J. O’Rourke|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then they set sail for open water, where they were assured someone would rescue them.
Inside the Smuggling Networks Flooding Europe with Refugees|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On August 22, some 88 ships set sail for the southern point of Brooklyn allowing more than 22,000 troops to begin their attack.
The British Royals Reinvade Brooklyn: William and Kate Come Watch Basketball on Historic Battle Site|Justin Jones|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The turbulent waters caused one of his oars to crack, which—without a motor or a sail—can be severely detrimental to his voyage.
Victor Mooney’s Epic Adventure for His Dead Brother|Justin Jones|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A lateen sail was visible in the direction of Cat Island, and others to the south seemed almost motionless in the far distance.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Let them that sail on the sea, tell the dangers thereof: and when we hear with our ears, we shall admire.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
As it came near, it proved to be the clock, with a sail hoisted, and the Goblin sitting complacently in the stern.
Davy and The Goblin|Charles E. Carryl
That argument was not the one of least weight in the council in determining that our fleet should not sail against the enemy.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Accordingly, as soon as they saw our Priests they refused outright to let the ship sail if the Jesuits were to embark in it.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for sail

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 vessela sail down the river

a vessel with sails or such vessels collectivelyto 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

in sail having the sail set

make sail

to run up the sail or to run up more sail
to begin a voyage

set sail

to embark on a voyage by ship
to hoist sail

under sail

with sail hoisted
under way

verb (mainly intr)

to travel in a boat or shipwe sailed to Le Havre

to begin a voyage; set sailwe sail at 5 o'clock

(of a vessel) to move over the waterthe liner is sailing to the Caribbean

(tr) to manoeuvre or navigate a vesselhe sailed the schooner up the channel

(tr) to sail overshe sailed the Atlantic single-handed

(often foll by over, through, etc) to move fast or effortlesslywe sailed through customs; the ball sailed over the fence

to move along smoothly; glide

(often foll by in or into) informal

to begin (something) with vigour
to make an attack (on) violently with words or physical force

Derived forms of sail

sailable, adjectivesailless, adjective

Word Origin for sail

Old English segl; related to Old Frisian seil, Old Norse segl, German Segel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with sail

sail

In addition to the idioms beginning with sail

sail close to the wind
sail into
sail through
sail under false colors

also see:

(sail under) false colors
plain sailing
set sail
smooth sailing
take the wind out of one's sails
trim one's sails

sail

Idioms about sail

Origin of sail

OTHER WORDS FROM sail

Words nearby sail

Words related to sail

How to use sail in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sail

Derived forms of sail

Word Origin for sail

Other Idioms and Phrases with sail