sally
[sal-ee]
- a sortie of troops from a besieged place upon an enemy.
- a sudden rushing forth or activity.
- an excursion or trip, usually off the main course.
- an outburst or flight of passion, fancy, etc.: a sally of anger.
- a clever, witty, or fanciful remark.
- Carpentry. a projection, as of the end of a rafter beyond the notch by which the rafter is fitted over the wall plate.
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- to make a sally, as a body of troops from a besieged place.
- to set out on a side trip or excursion.
- to set out briskly or energetically.
- (of things) to issue forth.
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Origin of sally
1535–45; < Middle French saillie attack, noun use of feminine past participle of saillir to rush forward < Latin salīre to leap
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comSally
or Sal·lie
[sal-ee]
- a female given name, form of Sarah.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for sally
Contemporary Examples
KSM enters the complex through a “Sally Port,” a series of gates designed to allow just one vehicle in at a time.
Just try to find a mention of Sally Hemings at the Jefferson Memorial.
Sally Beauty did not respond for comment by the time this article was published.
Sally Beauty has also partnered with Susan G. Komen to sell special pink cosmetic products.
My father lost his last surviving sibling, my Aunt Sally, in 2007.
Tom Sizemore’s Revenge: On Tom Cruise’s Scientology Recruitment, Drugs, and Craving a ComebackMarlow Stern
September 26, 2014
Historical Examples
The laughter at this sally was all it should have been, even the host joining in it.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Gray Peter had been fresher than Sally at the end of the run of the day before.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
All in all, Gray Peter was a glorious machine; Sally was a tricky intelligence.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
Gray Peter's heart was never in doubt, but what would Sally's courage be in a pinch?
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
If Andrew had let out Sally she would have walked away from them all, but he dared not do that.
Way of the LawlessMax Brand
sally1
- a sudden violent excursion, esp by besieged forces to attack the besiegers; sortie
- a sudden outburst or emergence into action, expression, or emotion
- an excursion or jaunt
- a jocular retort
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- to make a sudden violent excursion
- (often foll by forth) to go out on an expedition, etc
- to come, go, or set out in an energetic manner
- to rush out suddenly
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Word Origin
C16: from Old French saillie, from saillir to dash forwards, from Latin salīre to leap
sally2
- the lower part of a bell rope, where it is caught at handstroke, into which coloured wool is woven to make a grip
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Word Origin
C19: perhaps from an obsolete or dialect sense of sally 1 leaping movement
Sally
- a member of the Salvation Army
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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
Word Origin and History for sally
n.
1540s, "a sudden rush, dash, or springing forth; specifically of troops from a besieged place, attacking the besiegers," from Middle French saillie "a rushing forth," noun use of fem. past participle of saillir "to leap," from Latin salire "to leap" (see salient (adj.)). Sally-port "gate or passage in a fortification to afford free egress to troops in making a sally" is from 1640s.
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Sally
fem. proper name, alteration of Sarah (cf. Hal from Harry, Moll from Mary, etc.). Sally Lunn cakes (1780) supposedly named for the woman in Bath who first made them and sold them in the streets. Sally Ann as a nickname for Salvation Army is recorded from 1927.
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v.
1540s, from sally (n.). Related: Sallied; sallying.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper