sail

American  

[sayl] / seɪl /

noun

• sails
  plural

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)

• sails,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sailed,
  past participle,  past
• sailing
  present participle

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)

• sails,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sailed,
  past participle,  past
• sailing
  present participle

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sails
  plural

Participles

• sailing
  present
• sailed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sail
  simple
• sails
  simple
• have sailed
  perfect
• has sailed
  perfect
• am sailing
  progressive
• are sailing
  progressive
• is sailing
  progressive
• have been sailing
  perfect progressive
• has been sailing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sailed
  simple
• had sailed
  perfect
• was sailing
  progressive
• were sailing
  progressive
• had been sailing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sail
  simple
• will have sailed
  perfect
• will be sailing
  progressive
• will have been sailing
  perfect progressive

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

Explanation

A sail is the big piece of cloth attached to a mast that propels a sailboat through the water by catching the wind. Part of learning to sail a boat is learning how to use the sails. Most sailboats have two sails, the mainsail and the jib or headsail on the front of the boat. When you sail, you pilot the boat, or simply ride on it — you can also say you go for a sail. Additionally, the verb sail is used when something seems to float on the air: "The kite sails high in the blue sky." You "sail through" something when it's very easy and quick.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sail sails sailed sailing

Where the ship couldn't sail sections of the river, we arranged coach transfers, hotel stays and adjusted travel arrangements to minimise transfer times so customers could still visit destinations, including Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

"Our main concern is his arrival won't be safe," she told AFP from Malaysia, requesting anonymity for security reasons after losing contact with her brother before the vessels set sail.

From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026

For the Mighty Mary women, the sail was more than a reunion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Then, in safer waters, national or third-party vessels await for ship-to-ship transfers from the convoys to then sail to the buyer’s final destinations.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

By the time I looked up again, Marlene was charging off through the snow, chasing the dog away, trumpeting as she went, her trunk flailing, her ears in full sail.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Next, Harold, “duke of the English,” sails for France and jumps barelegged into the surf.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026

The ferry - a high-speed 40m long, 10m wide Filo Jet vessel - sails under the flag of Turkey, according to Marine Traffic.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

If a ship sails, that means the conditions are safe enough to travel—however rocky the water may feel, according to Roussos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

As she’s recently learned, it’s an adventure that sails smack into islands of musky internet trolls and clashes with cinematic and literary titans like Christopher Nolan and Joyce Carol Oates.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Beowulf’s elder brother, Alexander, had spent the last hour pretending that the wind-filled curtains were sails on a ship.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood

A BAS team sailed for 15 days to reach the island and study its avian inhabitants, using drones, aerial photography and fitting tracking devices to 20 birds.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

It sailed dark on the way out, meaning it didn’t publicly broadcast its location.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

But Yamamoto’s throw to third sailed wide, allowing a run to score.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

The cynic in me says this ship appears to have sailed.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026

With each new artifact discovered, Peter Throckmorton’s bond with those who sailed on that vessel more than three thousand years before strengthened.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

The return sailing to Vienna was also in the dark.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

According to the available information, one vessel was carrying wheat and heading south, while the other -- which sank -- was sailing north, Radev said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026

With little sailing experience from summer camp, they began venturing on their own through their home waters off of Portsmouth, N.H.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026

We got lost once, and our entourage received several perplexed glances from workers, but otherwise it was smooth sailing.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

Now, in six rusting ships, fourteen hundred of those Cubans were sailing back home.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

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