seɪl 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). øsail-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. øøsailable adj. sailed adj. (also in comb.). sailless adj. [OE segel f. Gmc]
