Definition of 'sail'

Word Frequency

sail

(seɪl )

Word forms: sails, sailing, 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. intransitive verb

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

The trawler had sailed from the port of Zeebrugge.

3. transitive verb/intransitive verb

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

His crew's job is to sail the boat.

I'd buy a big boat and sail around the world.

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

4. See also sailing

See to set sail

Phrasal verbs:

See sail through

More Synonyms of sail

Video: pronunciation of
sail

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

Word Frequency

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

Examples of 'sail' in a sentence
sail

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

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.