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sail
sail / sāl/ • n. 1. a piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat, ship, or other vessel: all the sails were unfurled. ∎ the use of sailing ships as a means of transport: this led to bigger ships as steam replaced sail. ∎ [in sing.] a voyage or excursion in a ship, esp. a sailing ship or boat: they went for a sail. 2. something resembling a sail in shape or function, in particular: ∎ a wind-catching apparatus, typically one consisting of canvas or a set of boards, attached to the arm of a windmill. ∎ the conning tower of a submarine. • v. [intr.] 1. travel in a boat with sails, esp. as a sport or recreation: Ian took us out sailing on the lake. ∎ travel in a ship or boat using sails or engine power: the ferry caught fire sailing between Caen and Portsmouth. ∎ begin a voyage; leave a harbor: the catamaran sails at 3:30. ∎ [tr.] travel by ship on or across (a sea) or on (a route): plastic ships could be sailing the oceans soon. ∎ [tr.] navigate or control (a boat or ship): I stole a small fishing boat and sailed it to the Delta. 2. move smoothly and rapidly or in a stately or confident manner: she sailed into the conference room at 2:30 sharp. DERIVATIVES: sail·a·ble adj. sailed adj. [in comb.] a black-sailed ship. |
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Cite this article
"sail." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sail." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-sail.html "sail." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-sail.html |
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sail
sail n.
1. a piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat, ship, or other vessel: all the sails were unfurled. 2. the use of sailing ships as a means of transport: this led to bigger ships as steam replaced sail. 3. a voyage or excursion in a ship, especially a sailing ship or boat: they went for a sail. 4. archaic a sailing ship: sail ahoy! 5. something resembling a sail in shape or function, especially the conning tower of a submarine. v. 1. travel in a ship or boat using sails or engine power: the ferry caught fire sailing between Caen and Portsmouth. 2. begin a voyage; leave a harbor: the catamaran sails at 3:30. 3. travel by ship on or across (a sea) or on (a route): plastic ships could be sailing the oceans soon. 4. navigate or control (a boat or ship): I stole a small fishing boat and sailed it to the Delta. in or under full sail with all the sails in position or fully spread: a galleon in full sail. sail close to or near the wind sail as nearly against the wind as possible. take in sail furl the sail or sails of a vessel. under sail with the sails hoisted: at a speed of eight knots under sail. sailable adj. sailed adj. a black-sailed ship. |
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Cite this article
"sail." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sail." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-sail.html "sail." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-sail.html |
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sail
sail piece of canvas, etc. fastened to a mast, etc. to catch the wind OE.; similar arrangement attached to the arms of a windmill XV. OE. seġ(e)l = OS. segel (Du. zeil), OHG. segal, -il (G. segel), ON. segl :- Gmc. *seʒlam, of unkn. orig.
So sail vb. OE. seġl(i)an. sailor XVI. In earliest use sayler (see -ER1); later alt., by assim. to agent-nouns in -OR1 (e.g. tailor), to distinguish the designation of a regular calling from the unspecialized form. |
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T. F. HOAD. "sail." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "sail." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sail.html T. F. HOAD. "sail." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sail.html |
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sail
sail sail close to (or near) the wind come close to breaking a rule or the law; behave or operate in a risky way.
sail under false colours disguise one's true nature or intentions; the colours are the flag which signals a ship's nationality. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "sail." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "sail." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-sail.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "sail." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-sail.html |
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Sail
Sailsailing vessels collectively, 1436; sails collectively, 1385; windmill sails collectively. Examples : sail of ducks, 1727; of ships, 1633; of Spaniards, 1458. |
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Cite this article
"Sail." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Sail." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505301296.html "Sail." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505301296.html |
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sail
sail see sailing . |
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"sail." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sail." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-sail.html "sail." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-sail.html |
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sail
sail
•ail, ale, assail, avail, bail, bale, bewail, brail, Braille, chain mail, countervail, curtail, dale, downscale, drail, dwale, entail, exhale, fail, faille, flail, frail, Gael, Gail, gale, Grail, grisaille, hail, hale, impale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, nonpareil, outsail, pail, pale, quail, rail, sail, sale, sangrail, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tail, tale, they'll, trail, upscale, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale
•Passchendaele • Airedale
•Wensleydale • Clydesdale
•Chippendale • Coverdale • Abigail
•galingale • martingale • nightingale
•farthingale • Windscale • timescale
•blackmail • airmail
•email, female
•Ishmael • voicemail • vermeil
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Cite this article
"sail." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 26 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sail." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 26, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-sail.html "sail." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-sail.html |
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