Sail Definition

sāl
sailed, sailing, sails
noun
sails
Any of the shaped sheets of canvas or other strong material spread to catch or deflect the wind, by means of which some vessels and some land vehicles are driven forward.
Webster's New World
Sails collectively.
Webster's New World
A narrow fairwater supporting the bridge of a submarine.
American Heritage
A trip in a ship or boat, esp. one moved by sails.
Webster's New World
A sailing vessel or vessels.
Webster's New World
verb
sailed, sailing, sails
To be moved forward by means of a sail or sails.
Webster's New World
To move through or upon (a body of water) in a boat or ship.
Webster's New World
To be moved forward on water by mechanical means such as a propeller.
Webster's New World
To move upon or travel by water.
Webster's New World
To throw or otherwise propel (something) in a way that causes it to glide, float, or move steadily through the air.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
other
See also sail.
Wiktionary
idiom
under sail
  • With the sails up; sailing.
American Heritage
make sail
Webster's New World
sail against the wind
  • to sail a course that slants slightly away from the true direction of the wind; sail closehauled
  • to work under difficulties or against direct opposition
Webster's New World
sail close to the wind
  • to sail as nearly as possible straight against the wind
  • to be economical in one's affairs
Webster's New World
set sail
  • to hoist the sails in preparation for departure
  • to start out on a voyage by water
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Sail

Noun

Singular:
sail
Plural:
sails

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Sail

Origin of Sail

  • From Old English seġel, from Proto-Germanic *seglą (compare earlier Middle Low German segel and later Low German sail), cognate with Dutch zeil, German Segel, Danish sejl), from pre-Germanic/Celtic sek-lo (compare Welsh hwyl, Irish séol), from Proto-Indo-European *sek- 'to cut'. More at saw.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English seil from Old English segl Sail into from obsolete sail to attack from Middle English sailen short for assailen assail

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Old English seġlian, cognate to earlier Middle Low German segelen and its descendant Low German sailen.

    From Wiktionary

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