sail

[ seyl ]

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. Sail, Astronomy. the constellation Vela.

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. Informal.
   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.

sail

/ 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

   we raised seven sail in the northeast

   to travel by sail

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. in sail
   having the sail set
8. make sail
   1. to run up the sail or to run up more sail
   2. to begin a voyage
9. set sail
   1. to embark on a voyage by ship
   2. to hoist sail
10. under sail
    1. with sail hoisted
    2. under way

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. often foll byover, through, etc to move fast or effortlessly

   the ball sailed over the fence

   we sailed through customs

7. to move along smoothly; glide
8. informal.
   often foll byin or into
   1. to begin (something) with vigour
   2. to make an attack (on) violently with words or physical force

Derived Forms

• ˈsailless, adjective
• ˈsailable, adjective

Other Words From

• saila·ble adjective
• sailless adjective
• un·saila·ble adjective
• un·sailed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sail¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sail¹

Old English segl; related to Old Frisian seil, Old Norse segl, German Segel

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. in sail, with the sails set.
2. make sail, Nautical.
   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.

3. set sail, to start a sea voyage:

   We set sail at midnight for Nantucket.

4. trim one's sails, Informal. to cut expenses; economize:

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

5. under sail, with sails set; in motion; sailing:

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

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

Example Sentences

Ben Olinsky, senior vice president of structural reform and governance at the liberal Center for American Progress, said that how the Senate handles this moment — where Trump is simultaneously putting forward deeply questionable candidates and demanding the Senate allow them to sail through without vetting — “will tell us a lot about what’s going to happen in the next couple of years.”

From Los Angeles Times

The plot centers on thousands of impoverished Indian farmers who commandeer a fleet and sail, dirty, uncivilized and desperate, to France, where a small resistance is all that stands in the way from their overrunning the country.

From Salon

Pip Hare, 50, was born in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire and grew up in Suffolk - where she learned to sail on the River Deben.

From BBC

They will then sail around Antarctica, before sailing close to the tip of South America and up through the Atlantic Ocean towards France.

From BBC

The world's richest man announced his support for the former president earlier this year, despite saying in 2022 that "it's time for Trump to hang up his hat and sail into the sunset".

From BBC

Related Words

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