sail

American  

[seyl] / seɪl /

noun

1. 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.

2. some similar piece or apparatus, as the part of an arm that catches the wind on a windmill.

3. a voyage or excursion, especially in a sailing vessel.

   They went for a sail around the island.

4. a sailing vessel or ship.

5. sailing vessels collectively.

   The fleet numbered 30 sail.

6. sails for a vessel or vessels collectively.

7. Astronomy. Sail, the constellation Vela.

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verb (used without object)

1. to move along or travel over water.

   steamships sailing to Lisbon.

2. to manage a sailboat, especially for sport.

3. to begin a journey by water.

   We are sailing at dawn.

4. to move along in a manner suggestive of a sailing vessel.

   caravans sailing along.

5. to move along in a stately, effortless way.

   to sail into a room.

verb (used with object)

1. to sail upon, over, or through.

   to sail the seven seas.

2. to navigate (a vessel).

verb phrase

1. sail in / into

   1. to go vigorously into action; begin to act; attack.

   2. to attack verbally.

      He would sail into his staff when work was going badly.

idioms

1. set sail, to start a sea voyage.

   We set sail at midnight for Nantucket.

2. in sail, with the sails set.

3. make sail,

   1. to set the sail or sails of a boat or increase the amount of sail already set.

   2. to set out on a voyage.

      Make sail for the Leeward Islands.

4. under sail, with sails set; in motion; sailing.

   It was good to be under sail in the brisk wind and under the warm sun.

5. trim one's sails, to cut expenses; economize.

   We're going to have to trim our sails if we stay in business.

sail British  

/ seɪl /

noun

1. 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

2. a voyage on such a vessel

   a sail down the river

3. a vessel with sails or such vessels collectively

   to travel by sail

   we raised seven sail in the northeast

4. a ship's sails collectively

5. 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

6. the conning tower of a submarine

7. having the sail set

8. 1. to run up the sail or to run up more sail

   2. to begin a voyage

9. 1. to embark on a voyage by ship

   2. to hoist sail

10. 1. with sail hoisted

    2. under way

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verb

1. to travel in a boat or ship

   we sailed to Le Havre

2. to begin a voyage; set sail

   we sail at 5 o'clock

3. (of a vessel) to move over the water

   the liner is sailing to the Caribbean

4. (tr) to manoeuvre or navigate a vessel

   he sailed the schooner up the channel

5. (tr) to sail over

   she sailed the Atlantic single-handed

6. to move fast or effortlessly

   we sailed through customs

   the ball sailed over the fence

7. to move along smoothly; glide

8. informal

   1. to begin (something) with vigour

   2. to make an attack (on) violently with words or physical force

sail More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing sail

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

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Other Word Forms

• sailable adjective
• sailless adjective
• unsailable adjective
• unsailed adjective

Etymology

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

Example Sentences

On Monday, the Boracay, which now sails under the Russian flag and has been renamed Phoenix, was anchored near the port of Rizhao in northeastern China, according to Marine Traffic.

From Barron's

Buoyant exports helped Germany to eliminate the mass unemployment of the early 2000s and sail through successive crises relatively unscathed.

From The Wall Street Journal

In 1913, on the advice of a British Museum curator, Routledge sailed to Easter Island, where she would carry out the first scholarly study of the island’s monuments and traditions.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cruise Lines International Association, the industry trade group, reported that 37.7 million passengers were estimated to have sailed aboard cruises in 2025.

From MarketWatch

Footage aired on state-linked Iranian media showed cruise missiles being launched from trucks along the coast and from boats as an oil tanker sailed in the background.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cross
• cruise
• drift
• float
• fly
• leave
• move
• navigate
• reach
• run
• shoot
• skim
• soar
• steer
• sweep