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sail definition

sail (sāl)

noun

  1. 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
  2. sails collectively
  3. a sailing vessel or vessels
  4. a trip in a ship or boat, esp. one moved by sails
  5. anything like a sail, as an arm of a windmill

Etymology: ME seil, sail < OE segl, akin to Ger segel, prob. ult. < IE base *sek-, to cut > L secare, to cut, segmentum, segment

intransitive verb

    1. to be moved forward by means of a sail or sails
    2. to be moved forward on water by mechanical means such as a propeller
  2. to move upon or travel by water: said of a vessel or its passengers
  3. to begin a trip by water
  4. to manage a sailboat, as in racing or cruising
  5. to glide, float, or move steadily through the air
  6. to move smoothly and with dignity, like a ship in full sail
  7. Informal to move quickly
  8. ☆ Informal to begin vigorously; throw oneself (into) with energy
  9. ☆ Informal to attack, criticize, or reprimand someone severely: with into

Etymology: ME seilen < OE seglian < the n.

transitive verb

  1. to move through or upon (a body of water) in a boat or ship
  2. to manage or navigate (a boat or ship)
sail Idioms

make sail

to begin a trip by water

sail against the wind

  1. to sail a course that slants slightly away from the true direction of the wind; sail closehauled
  2. to work under difficulties or against direct opposition
    also sail near (to) the wind

sail close to the wind

  1. to sail as nearly as possible straight against the wind
  2. to be economical in one's affairs
  3. to border on indecency, foolhardiness, etc.

set sail

  1. to hoist the sails in preparation for departure
  2. to start out on a voyage by water

take in sail

to lower sails, as in order to reduce the area of sail set

under sail

sailing; with sails set

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms sail idiom

sail Synonyms

sail

n.

  1. Means of sailing a vessel

    sheet, sheets, canvas, muslin, cloth, rag*.

    Sails include: mainsail, foresail, topsail, jib, spanker, ringsail, skysail, spritsail, staysail, fisherman staysail, topgallant, mizzen, fore topsail, fore staysail, fore trysail, fore royal, studdingsail, storm trysail, flying jib, outer jib, inner jib, working sails, light sails, kites, mizzen topsail, main topsail, upper main topsail, main staysail, fore skysail, mizzen topgallant, fore topgallant, trysail, mizzenroyal, balloon sail, spinnaker, spanker, balloon jib, crossjack, Genoa.

  2. A journey by sailing vessel

    voyage, cruise, trip; see journey.

set sail

go, depart, set out; see leavev. 1, sailv. 1, 2.


sail

v.

  1. To embark

    take ship, put to sea, put out to sea, make sail, get under way, set sail, weigh anchor, leave, begin a voyage.

  2. To travel by sailing

    cruise, voyage, bear in with the land, go alongside, bear down on, bear for, direct one's course for, set sail, put on sail, crowd sail, put to sea, sail away from, navigate, travel, make headway, mis-stay, lie in, make at, make for, heave to, lay in, lay for, fetch up, bring to, bear off, double a point, close with, back and fill, bear up for, run down, run in, put off, put in, gather way, hug the shore, plow the waves*, hang out the washing*, plow the deep*.

  3. To fly

    float, soar, ride the storm, skim, glide.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sail Usage Examples

Object

  • dinghy: She sailed a small open dinghy with only her son as crew along the Cornish coast to where the family were camping.

Converse of object

  • furl: Quickly the crew furl the damaged sail and concentrate on getting us into the dinghy to start the Mull run.

Preposition: at

  • hrs: There will be a tour of the Abbey before the ship sails at 13.30 hrs.

Preposition: over

  • crossbar: Darren Bent started their resurgence with a strike from 25 yards in the 20th minute which narrowly sailed over the crossbar.

Adjective modifier

  • lateen: It was assumed that this was a transitional survival between the ancient type and the more modern lateen sail.

Modifies a noun

  • loft: It shows a sail loft where in the 1790's a Polar Bear was kept.

Noun used with modifier

  • ar: O weinyddiaeth sy'n honni ei bod yn gweithredu ar sail tystiolaeth, ni fu unrhyw dystiolaeth yn hynny o beth.

Preposition: on

  • voyage: The 2012 Show have set sail on a voyage to access the Zero Point Field at the end of this world.

Adjective complement

  • downstream: Sailing downstream, the first gorge is Qutang, a stretch five miles long with vertical cliff faces.

Preposition: of

  • windmill: I glanced up at the sails of the windmill, now dim and still in the warm morning air.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • across: DAY 9. After breakfast, sail across to the island of Symi and to the harbor of Gialos at its northern tip.
sail usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

sail quotes

Not everyone can sail to Corinth.

-Anonymous

Where great whales come sailing by, Sail and sail, with unshut eye, Round the world for ever and aye.

-Arnold, Matthew

A wet sheet and a flowing sea, A wind that follows fast, And fills the white and rustling sail, And bends the gallant mast

-Cunningham, Allan

sail quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"sail." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/sail>

APA Style

sail. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/sail

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