Sail

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sail, n. [OE. seil, AS. segel, segl; akin to D. zeil, OHG. segal, G. & Sw. segel, Icel. segl, Dan. seil.

•  An extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is made serviceable as a power for propelling vessels through the water.  [1913 Webster]

  "Behoves him now both sail and oar."  [1913 Webster]
•  Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail.  [1913 Webster]
•  A wing; a van.  [1913 Webster]

  "Like an eagle soaring
  To weather his broad sails."  [1913 Webster]
•  The extended surface of the arm of a windmill.  [1913 Webster]
•  A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.  [1913 Webster]

  " In this sense, the plural has usually the same form as the singular; as, twenty sail were in sight."  [1913 Webster]
•  A passage by a sailing vessel; a journey or excursion upon the water.  [1913 Webster]

  " Sails are of two general kinds, fore-and-aft sails, and square sails. Square sails are always bent to yards, with their foot lying across the line of the vessel. Fore-and-aft sails are set upon stays or gaffs with their foot in line with the keel. A fore-and-aft sail is triangular, or quadrilateral with the after leech longer than the fore leech. Square sails are quadrilateral, but not necessarily square. See Phrases under Fore, a., and Square, a.; also, Bark, Brig, Schooner, Ship, Stay."  [1913 Webster]

Sail burton (Naut.), a purchase for hoisting sails aloft for bending. -- Sail fluke (Zoöl.), the whiff. -- Sail hook, a small hook used in making sails, to hold the seams square. -- Sail loft, a loft or room where sails are cut out and made. -- Sail room (Naut.), a room in a vessel where sails are stowed when not in use. -- Sail yard (Naut.), the yard or spar on which a sail is extended. -- Shoulder-of-mutton sail (Naut.), a triangular sail of peculiar form. It is chiefly used to set on a boat's mast. -- To crowd sail. (Naut.) See under Crowd. -- To loose sails (Naut.), to unfurl or spread sails. -- To make sail (Naut.), to extend an additional quantity of sail. -- To set a sail (Naut.), to extend or spread a sail to the wind. -- To set sail (Naut.), to unfurl or spread the sails; hence, to begin a voyage. -- To shorten sail (Naut.), to reduce the extent of sail, or take in a part. -- To strike sail (Naut.), to lower the sails suddenly, as in saluting, or in sudden gusts of wind; hence, to acknowledge inferiority; to abate pretension. -- Under sail, having the sails spread.

Sail, v. i. [AS. segelian, seglian. See Sail, n.].

•  To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water; to be impelled on a body of water by the action of steam or other power.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a water fowl.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water; as, they sailed from London to Canton.  [1913 Webster]
•  To set sail; to begin a voyage.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move smoothly through the air; to glide through the air without apparent exertion, as a bird.  [1913 Webster]

  "As is a winged messenger of heaven, . . .
  When he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds,
  And sails upon the bosom of the air."  [1913 Webster]

Sail, v. t. 

•  To pass or move upon, as in a ship, by means of sails; hence, to move or journey upon (the water) by means of steam or other force.  [1913 Webster]

  "A thousand ships were manned to sail the sea."  [1913 Webster]
•  To fly through; to glide or move smoothly through.  [1913 Webster]

  "Sublime she sails
  The aërial space, and mounts the wingèd gales."  [1913 Webster]
•  To direct or manage the motion of, as a vessel; as, to sail one's own ship.  Totten.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sail, n. & v.
--n.
1 a piece of material (orig. canvas, now usu. nylon etc.) extended on rigging to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship.
2 a ship's sails collectively.
3 a a voyage or excursion in a sailing-ship. b a voyage of specified duration.
4 a ship, esp. as discerned from its sails.
5 (collect.) ships in a squadron or company (a fleet of twenty sail).
6 (in pl.) Naut. a sl. a maker or repairer of sails. b hist. a chief petty officer in charge of rigging.
7 a wind-catching apparatus, usu. a set of boards, attached to the arm of a windmill.
8 a the dorsal fin of a sailfish. b the tentacle of a nautilus. c the float of a Portuguese man-of-war.
--v.
1 intr. travel on water by the use of sails or engine-power.
2 tr. a navigate (a ship etc.). b travel on (a sea).
3 tr. set (a toy boat) afloat.
4 intr. glide or move smoothly or in a stately manner.
5 intr. (often foll. by through) colloq. succeed easily (sailed through the exams).

Idiom

sail-arm the arm of a windmill. sail close to (or near) the wind
1 sail as nearly against the wind as possible.
2 come close to indecency or dishonesty; risk overstepping the mark. sail-fluke = MEGRIM(2). sailing-boat (or -ship or -vessel) a vessel driven by sails. sailing-master an officer navigating a ship, esp. Brit. a yacht. sailing orders instructions to a captain regarding departure, destination, etc. sail into colloq. attack physically or verbally with force.
take in sail
1 furl the sail or sails of a vessel.
2 moderate one's ambitions. under sail with sails set.

Derivative

sailable adj. sailed adj. (also in comb.). sailless adj.

Etymology

OE segel f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Sail

aeroplane, airlift, airplane, balloon, balloon sail, batten, be airborne, be effortless, be painless, boat, boltrope, breeze, canoe, canvas, carry sail, circumnavigate, clew, cloth, coast, course, cringle, cross, crossing, crowd of sail, cruise, dart, drift, earing, embark, ferry, fleet, flit, float, flow, fly, fly-by-night, flying kites, foot, fore gaff-topsail, fore topgallant sail, fore-and-aft sail, fore-skysail, fore-topmast staysail, fore-topsail, foreroyal, foresail, forestaysail, galley, get under way, ghost, give no trouble, glide, glissade, go by ship, go easily, go like clockwork, go off soundings, go on shipboard, go to sea, have way upon, head, hop, hover, hydroplane, ice-skate, jenny, jet, jib, jigger, leech, leg, leg-of-mutton sail, loose-footed sail, luff, lug, main gaff-topsail, main royal, main skysail, main-royal staysail, main-topsail, mainsail, make a passage, mizzen, mizzen skysail, mizzen staysail, mizzen-royal staysail, mizzen-topgallant sail, moonraker, moonsail, motorboat, muslin, navigate, ocean trip, parachute spinnaker, passage, pilot, plain sail, plane, plow the deep, ply, present no difficulties, press of sail, push off, put off, put to sea, rag, reduced sail, reef, reef point, reefed sail, ride, ride the sea, roll, roller-skate, row, royal, run, run smoothly, sail away, sail round, sail the sea, sailboat, sailing boat, sailing cruiser, sailing ship, sailing vessel, sailplane, scud, scull, sea trip, seafare, seaplane, set sail, shakedown cruise, shoot, shove off, sideslip, skate, skateboard, ski, skid, skim, skyscraper, sled, sleigh, slide, slip, slither, soar, spanker, spinnaker, spitfire, square sail, staysail, steam, steamboat, steer, stern staysail, storm trysail, sweep, take a voyage, take the air, take wing, tall ship, toboggan, topsail, traverse, trysail, volplane, voyage, waft, walk the waters, windboat, windjammer, windship, wing, work well, yacht

ROGET THESAURUS

Sail

Navigation

N navigation, aquatics, boating, yachting, ship, oar, paddle, screw, sail, canvas, aileron, natation, swimming, fin, flipper, fish's tail, aerostation, aerostatics, aeronautics, balloonery, balloon, ballooning, aviation, airmanship, flying, flight, volitation, wing, pinion, rocketry, space travel, astronautics, orbital mechanics, orbiting, voyage, sail, cruise, passage, circumnavigation, periplus, headway, sternway, leeway, fairway, mariner, flight, trip, shuttle, run, airlift, sailing, volant, aerostatic, seafaring, nautical, maritime, naval, seagoing, coasting, afloat, navigable, aerial, aeronautic, grallatory, under way, under sail, under canvas, under steam, on the wing, in flight, in orbit, bon voyage, spread the thin oar and catch the driving gale, navigation, aquatics, boating, yachting, ship, oar, paddle, screw, sail, canvas, aileron, natation, swimming, fin, flipper, fish's tail, aerostation, aerostatics, aeronautics, balloonery, balloon, ballooning, aviation, airmanship, flying, flight, volitation, wing, pinion, rocketry, space travel, astronautics, orbital mechanics, orbiting, voyage, sail, cruise, passage, circumnavigation, periplus, headway, sternway, leeway, fairway, mariner, flight, trip, shuttle, run, airlift, sailing, volant, aerostatic, seafaring, nautical, maritime, naval, seagoing, coasting, afloat, navigable, aerial, aeronautic, grallatory, under way, under sail, under canvas, under steam, on the wing, in flight, in orbit, bon voyage, spread the thin oar and catch the driving gale.

VB sail, put to sea, take ship, get under way, set sail, spread sail, spread canvas, gather way, have way on, make sail, carry sail, plow the waves, plow the deep, plow the main, plow the ocean, walk the waters, navigate, warp, luff, scud, boom, kedge, drift, course, cruise, coast, hug the shore, hug the land, circumnavigate, ply the oar, row, paddle, pull, scull, punt, steam, swim, float, buffet the waves, ride the storm, skim, effleurer, dive, wade, fly, be wafted, hover, soar, flutter, jet, orbit, rocket, take wing, take a flight, take off, ascend, blast off, land, alight, wing one's flight, wing one's way, aviate, parachute, jump, glide.

Ship

N ship, vessel, sail, craft, bottom, navy, marine, fleet, flotilla, shipping, man of war, transport, tender, storeship, merchant ship, merchantman, packet, liner, whaler, slaver, collier, coaster, lighter, fishing boat, pilot boat, trawler, hulk, yacht, baggala, floating hotel, floating palace, ocean greyhound, ship, bark, barque, brig, snow, hermaphrodite brig, brigantine, barkantine, schooner, topsail schooner, for and aft schooner, three masted schooner, chasse-maree, sloop, cutter, corvette, clipper, foist, yawl, dandy, ketch, smack, lugger, barge, hoy, cat, buss, sailer, sailing vessel, windjammer, steamer, steamboat, steamship, liner, ocean liner, cruiseship, ship of the line, mail steamer, paddle steamer, screw steamer, tug, line of steamers, destroyer, cruiser, frigate, landing ship, LST, aircraft carrier, carrier, flattop, nuclear powered carrier, submarine, submersible, atomic submarine, boat, pinnace, launch, life boat, long boat, jolly boat, bum boat, fly boat, cock boat, ferry boat, canal boat, swamp boat, ark, bully, battery, bateau, broadhorn, dory, droger, drogher, dugout, durham boat, flatboat, galiot, shallop, gig, funny, skiff, dingy, scow, cockleshell, wherry, coble, punt, cog, kedge, lerret, eight oar, four oar, pair oar, randan, outrigger, float, raft, pontoon, prame, iceboat, ice canoe, ice yacht, catamaran, hydroplane, hovercraft, coracle, gondola, carvel, caravel, felucca, caique, canoe, birch bark canoe, dugout canoe, galley, galleyfoist, bilander, dogger, hooker, howker, argosy, carack, galliass, galleon, polacca, polacre, tartane, junk, lorcha, praam, proa, prahu, saick, sampan, xebec, dhow, dahabeah, nuggah, kayak, keel boat, log canoe, pirogue, quadrireme, trireme, stern-wheeler, wanigan, wangan, wharf boat, balloon, airship, aeroplane, biplane, monoplane, triplane, hydroplane, aerodrome, air balloon, pilot balloon, fire balloon, dirigible, zeppelin, aerostat, Montgolfier, kite, parachute, jet plane, rocket plane, jet liner, turbojet, prop-jet, propeller plane, corporate plane, corporate jet, private plane, private aviation, airline, common carrier, fighter, bomber, fighter-bomber, escort plane, spy plane, supersonic aircraft, subsonic aircraft, afloat, aboard, on board, on ship board, hard a lee, hard a port, hard a starboard, hard a weather.

Departure

VB depart, go away, take one's departure, set out, set off, march off, put off, start off, be off, move off, get off, whip off, pack off, go off, take oneself off, start, issue, march out, debouch, go forth, sally forth, sally, set forward, be gone, hail from, leave a place, quit, vacate, evacuate, abandon, go off the stage, make one's exit, retire, withdraw, remove, vamoose, vamose, go one's way, go along, go from home, take flight, take wing, spring, fly, flit, wing one's flight, fly away, whip away, embark, go on board, go aboard, set sail' put to sea, go to sea, sail, take ship, hoist blue Peter, get under way, weigh anchor, strike tents, decamp, walk one's chalks, cut one's stick, take leave, say good bye, bid goodbye, disappear, abscond, entrain, inspan.

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