Definition of 'sail'

sail

(seɪl )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense sails , present participle sailing , past tense, past participle sailed

1. countable noun

Sails are large pieces of material attached to the mast of a ship. The wind blows against the sails and pushes the ship along.

The white sails billow with the breezes they catch.

Synonyms: sheet, canvas More Synonyms of sail

2. verb

You say a ship sails when it moves over the sea.

The trawler had sailed from the port of Zeebrugge. [VERB preposition/adverb]

The Kruzenshtern is expected to sail for Boston this week. [VERB preposition/adverb]

3. verb

If you sail a boat or if a boat sails, it moves across water using its sails.

I shall get myself a little boat and sail her around the world. [VERB noun preposition]

For nearly two hundred miles she sailed on, her sails hard with ice. [VERB adverb/preposition]

She sails beautifully in winds over 60 knots. [VERB]

Synonyms: pilot, steer, helm, navigate More Synonyms of sail

4. countable noun

The sails on a windmill are the long flat parts that are turned by the wind.

...a windmill, its sails turning in the breeze.

5. verb

If a person or thing sails somewhere, they move there smoothly and fairly quickly.

We got into the lift and sailed to the top floor. [VERB preposition/adverb]

The cabs sailed past. [VERB preposition/adverb]

Synonyms: glide, sweep, float, shoot More Synonyms of sail

6. See also sailing

See to set sail

See under sail

9. to sail close to the wind

10. to take the wind out of someone's sails

Phrasal verbs:

See sail through

More Synonyms of sail

Video: pronunciation of
sail

sail in British English

(seɪl )

noun

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

a voyage on such a vessel

a sail down the river

a vessel with sails or such vessels collectively

to travel by sail

we raised seven sail in the northeast

a ship's sails collectively

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

the conning tower of a submarine

7. See in sail

8. See make sail

9. See set sail

10. See trim one's sails

11. See under sail

verb (mainly intr)

12.

to travel in a boat or ship

we sailed to Le Havre

13.

to begin a voyage; set sail

we sail at 5 o'clock

14.

(of a vessel) to move over the water

the liner is sailing to the Caribbean

15. (transitive)

to manoeuvre or navigate a vessel

he sailed the schooner up the channel

16. (transitive)

to sail over

she sailed the Atlantic single-handed

17. (often foll by over, through, etc)

to move fast or effortlessly

we sailed through customs

the ball sailed over the fence

18.

to move along smoothly; glide

19. (often foll by in or into) informal

to begin (something) with vigour

to make an attack (on) violently with words or physical force

Derived forms

sailable (ˈsailable)

adjective

sailless (ˈsailless)

adjective

Word origin

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

sail in American English

(seɪl )

noun

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

sails collectively

a sailing vessel or vessels

a trip in a ship or boat, esp. one moved by sails

anything like a sail, as an arm of a windmill

verb intransitive

to be moved forward by means of a sail or sails

to be moved forward on water by mechanical means such as a propeller

to move upon or travel by water

said of a vessel or its passengers

to begin a trip by water

to manage a sailboat, as in racing or cruising

10.

to glide, float, or move steadily through the air

11.

to move smoothly and with dignity, like a ship in full sail

12. Informal

to move quickly

13. US, Informal

to begin vigorously; throw oneself (into) with energy

14. US, Informal

to attack, criticize, or reprimand someone severely: with into

verb transitive

15.

to move through or upon (a body of water) in a boat or ship

16.

to manage or navigate (a boat or ship)

Idioms:

make sail

sail against the wind

sail close to the wind

set sail

take in sail

under sail

Word origin

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

sail in American English

(seil)

noun

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

some similar piece or apparatus, as the part of an arm that catches the wind on a windmill

a voyage or excursion, esp. in a sailing vessel

They went for a sail around the island

a sailing vessel or ship

sailing vessels collectively

The fleet numbered 30 sail

sails for a vessel or vessels collectively

7. (cap) Astronomy

the constellation Vela

8. See in sail

9. See make sail

10. See set sail

11. See trim one's sails

12. See under sail

intransitive verb

13.

to move along or travel over water

steamships sailing to Lisbon

14.

to manage a sailboat, esp. for sport

15.

to begin a journey by water

We are sailing at dawn

16.

to move along in a manner suggestive of a sailing vessel

caravans sailing along

17.

to move along in a stately, effortless way

to sail into a room

transitive verb

18.

to sail upon, over, or through

to sail the seven seas

19.

to navigate (a vessel)

20. See sail in {or} into

Derived forms

sailable

adjective

sailless

adjective

Word origin

[bef. 900; (n.) ME sail(e), seille, OE segl; c. G Segel, ON segl; (v.) ME seillen, saylen, OE siglan, seglian; c. D zeilen, ON sigla]

Examples of 'sail' in a sentence
sail

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Wind energy can be changed into kinetic energy by the sails on a windmill.Only by going for a sail can you begin to understand the character of the boat.He had looked it over just after they set sail.He goes on to become the youngest person to sail solo around the globe.We now have two sails and it is well and truly sailing.These are the boats too large to sail with the rest of the flotilla.We sail in fragile vessels across a raging sea of uncertainty.We escaped to the woods behind our ranch house and sailed our bathtub boats in the creek.Is the wind in their sails or are their sails flapping?The sails on one windmill are folded up and point to where the wind had come from.