Word Study
sally
CIDE DICTIONARY
sally, v. i. [F. saillir, fr. L. salire to leap, spring, akin to Gr. "a`llesqai; cf. Skr. s to go, to flow. Cf. Salient, Assail, Assault, Exult, Insult, Saltation, Saltire.].
To leap or rush out; to burst forth; to issue suddenly; as a body of troops from a fortified place to attack besiegers; to make a sally. [1913 Webster]
"They break the truce, and sally out by night." [1913 Webster]
"The foe retires, -- she heads the sallying host." [1913 Webster]
sally, n. [F. saillie, fr. saillir. See Sally, v. ].
- A leaping forth; a darting; a spring. [1913 Webster]
- A rushing or bursting forth; a quick issue; a sudden eruption; specifically, an issuing of troops from a place besieged to attack the besiegers; a sortie. [1913 Webster]"Sallies were made by the Spaniards, but they were beaten in with loss." [1913 Webster]
- An excursion from the usual track; range; digression; deviation. [1913 Webster]"Every one shall know a country better that makes often sallies into it, and traverses it up and down, than he that . . . goes still round in the same track." [1913 Webster]
- A flight of fancy, liveliness, wit, or the like; a flashing forth of a quick and active mind. [1913 Webster]"The unaffected mirth with which she enjoyed his sallies." [1913 Webster]
- Transgression of the limits of soberness or steadiness; act of levity; wild gayety; frolic; escapade. [1913 Webster]"The excursion was esteemed but a sally of youth." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
sally, n. (pl. -ies) colloq.
1 (usu. prec. by the) the Salvation Army.
2 a member of this.
1 (usu. prec. by the) the Salvation Army.
2 a member of this.
Etymology
abbr.
sally, n. & v. (pl. -ies)
--n.
1 a sudden charge from a fortification upon its besiegers; a sortie.
2 a going forth; an excursion.
3 a witticism; a piece of banter; a lively remark esp. by way of attack upon a person or thing or of a diversion in argument.
4 a sudden start into activity; an outburst.
5 archaic an escapade.
--v.intr. (-ies, -ied)
1 (usu. foll. by out, forth) go for a walk, set out on a journey etc.
2 (usu. foll. by out) make a military sally.
3 archaic issue or come out suddenly.
--n.
1 a sudden charge from a fortification upon its besiegers; a sortie.
2 a going forth; an excursion.
3 a witticism; a piece of banter; a lively remark esp. by way of attack upon a person or thing or of a diversion in argument.
4 a sudden start into activity; an outburst.
5 archaic an escapade.
--v.intr. (-ies, -ied)
1 (usu. foll. by out, forth) go for a walk, set out on a journey etc.
2 (usu. foll. by out) make a military sally.
3 archaic issue or come out suddenly.
Idiom
sally-port an opening in a fortification for making a sally from.
sally, n. (pl. -ies)
1 the part of a bell-rope prepared with inwoven wool for holding.
2 a the first movement of a bell when set for ringing. b the bell's position when set.
1 the part of a bell-rope prepared with inwoven wool for holding.
2 a the first movement of a bell when set for ringing. b the bell's position when set.
Idiom
sally-hole the hole through which the bell-rope passes.
sally, var. of SALLEE.
THESAURUS
sally
access, aggravated assault, aggression, amphibious attack, aphorism, apothegm, arise, armed assault, assailing, assailment, assault, attack, bail out, banzai attack, be off, blitz, blitzkrieg, bon mot, boutade, break cover, break forth, breakthrough, bright idea, bright thought, brilliant idea, burst, burst forth, campaign, charge, circuit, come, come forth, come out, conceit, counterattack, counteroffensive, coup de main, course, crack, crippling attack, dead set at, debouch, descent on, disembogue, diversion, diversionary attack, drive, drollery, effuse, emanate, emerge, epigram, erupt, eruption, excursion, expedition, explosion, extrude, facetiae, flank attack, flare-up, flash of wit, flight of wit, frontal attack, gag, gas attack, get off, gibe, go forth, grand tour, gust, happy thought, head-on attack, infiltration, issue, issue forth, jape, jaunt, jest, journey, jump out, junket, lightning attack, lightning war, mass attack, megadeath, mot, mugging, nasty crack, offense, offensive, onset, onslaught, outing, outset, outstart, overkill, package tour, panzer warfare, peregrination, persiflage, pilgrimage, play of wit, pleasantry, pleasure trip, progress, protrude, push, put forth, quip, quips and cranks, repartee, retort, riposte, round trip, roundabout, rubberneck tour, run, run against, run at, rush, safari, sally forth, scintillation, set forth, set forward, set off, set out, shock tactics, shoot, smart crack, smart saying, snappy comeback, sortie, stalk, start, start off, start out, strike, strike out, stroke of wit, surface, tour, trek, trip, turn, turn of thought, unprovoked assault, voyage, waggery, wisecrack, witticismROGET THESAURUS
sally
Attack
N attack, assault, assault and battery, onset, onslaught, charge, aggression, offense, incursion, inroad, invasion, irruption, outbreak, estrapade, ruade, coupe de main, sally, sortie, camisade, raid, foray, run at, run against, dead set at, storm, storming, boarding, escalade, siege, investment, obsession, bombardment, cannonade, fire, volley, platoon fire, file fire, fusillade, sharpshooting, broadside, raking fire, cross fire, volley of grapeshot, whiff of the grape, feu d'enfer, cut, thrust, lunge, pass, passado, carte and tierce, home thrust, coupe de bec, kick, punch, battue, razzia, Jacquerie, dragonnade, devastation, eboulement, assailant, aggressor, invader, base of operations, point of attack, echelon, attacking, aggressive, offensive, obsidional, up in arms, on the offensive, Int, up and at them!, the din of arms, the yell of savage rage, the shriek of agony, the groan of death, their fatal hands no second stroke intend, thirst for glory quells the love of life.Wit
N wit, humor, wittiness, sense of humor, attic wit, attic salt, atticism, salt, esprit, point, fancy, whim, drollery, pleasantry, farce, buffoonery, fooling, tomfoolery, shenanigan, harlequinade, broad farce, broad humor, fun, espieglerie, vis comica, jocularity, jocosity, jocoseness, facetiousness, waggery, waggishness, whimsicality, comicality, banter, badinage, retort, repartee, smartness, ready wit, quid- pro-quo, ridicule, jest, joke, jape, jibe, facetiae, levity, quips and cranks, capital joke, canorae nugae, standing jest, standing joke, private joke, conceit, quip, quirk, crank, quiddity, concetto, plaisanterie, brilliant idea, merry thought, bright thought, happy thought, sally, flash of wit, flash of merriment, scintillation, mot, mot pour rire, witticism, smart saying, bon-mot, jeu d'esprit, epigram, jest book, dry joke, quodlibet, cream of the jest, word-play, jeu de mots, play of words, play upon words, pun, punning, double entente, double entendre, quibble, verbal quibble, conundrum, anagram, acrostic, double acrostic, trifling, idle conceit, turlupinade, old joke, tired joke, flat joke, Joe Miller, witty, attic, quick-witted, nimble-witted, smart, jocular, jocose, humorous, facetious, waggish, whimsical, kidding, joking, puckish, playful, merry and wise, pleasant, sprightly, light, spirituel, sparkling, epigrammatic, full of point, ben trovato, comic, zany, madcap, funny, amusing, jokingly, in joke, in jest, in sport, in play, adhibenda est in jocando moderatio, gentle dullness ever loves a joke, leave this keen encounter of our wits, just joking, just kidding, surely you jest!.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.For further exploring for "sally" in Webster Dictionary Online
