sail

sail  (sl)

n.

1. Nautical

a. A piece of fabric sewn together and fitted to the spars and rigging of a vessel so as to convert the force of the wind into forward motion of the vessel.

b. The sails of a ship or boat.

c. The superstructure of a submarine.

2. pl. sail or sails Nautical A sailing vessel.

3. Nautical A trip or voyage in a sailing craft.

4. Something, such as the blade of a windmill, that resembles a sail in form or function.

v. sailed, sail·ing, sails

v.intr.

1. Nautical

a. To move across the surface of water, especially by means of a sailing vessel.

b. To travel by water in a vessel.

c. To start out on such a voyage or journey.

d. To operate a sailing craft, especially for sport.

2. To move along or progress smoothly or effortlessly: sailed into the room five minutes late; sailed through the exam; sailed through the red light.

v.tr. Nautical

1. To navigate or manage (a vessel).

2. To voyage upon or across: sail the Pacific.

Phrasal Verb:

sail into

To attack or criticize vigorously: sailed into the workmen for the shoddy job they were doing.

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[Middle English seil, from Old English segl. Sail into, from obsolete sail, to attack, from Middle English sailen, short for assailen; see assail.]

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sail

Noun

1. a sheet of canvas or other fabric, spread on rigging to catch the wind and move a ship over water

2. a voyage on such a ship: a relaxing sail across the lake

3. a ship or ships with sails: to travel by sail

4. one of the revolving arms of a windmill

5. set sail to begin a voyage by water

6. under sail

a. under way

b. with sail hoisted

Verb

1. to travel in a boat or ship: to sail around the world

2. to begin a voyage: he hoped to sail at eleven

3. (of a ship) to move over the water

4. to navigate (a ship): she sailed the schooner up the channel

5. to sail over: he had already sailed the Pacific

6. to move along smoothly

7. sail into Informal to make a violent attack on

8. sail through to progress quickly or effortlessly: the top seed sailed through to the second round [Old English segl]

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Sail sailing vessels collectively, 1436; sails collectively, 1385; windmill sails collectively.

Examples: sail of ducks, 1727; of ships, 1633; of Spaniards, 1458.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	sail - a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel canvass, canvas, sheet balloon sail - any light loose sail crossjack, mizzen course - the lowermost sail on a mizzenmast fore-and-aft sail - any sail not set on a yard and whose normal position is in a fore-and-aft direction foresail - the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel reef - one of several strips across a sail that can be taken in or rolled up to lessen the area of the sail that is exposed to the wind headsail - any sail set forward of the foremast of a vessel mainsail - the lowermost sail on the mainmast main-topsail - a topsail set on the mainmast piece of cloth, piece of material - a separate part consisting of fabric press of canvas, press of sail - the greatest amount of sail that a ship can carry safely royal - a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast sailing ship, sailing vessel - a vessel that is powered by the wind; often having several masts save-all - a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail skysail - the sail above the royal on a square-rigger square sail - a four-sided sail set beneath a horizontal yard suspended at the middle from a mast topgallant, topgallant sail - a sail set on a yard of a topgallant mast topsail - a sail (or either of a pair of sails) immediately above the lowermost sail of a mast and supported by a topmast
	2.	sail - an ocean trip taken for pleasure cruise ocean trip, voyage - an act of traveling by water
	3.	sail - any structure that resembles a sail structure, construction - a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons"
Verb	1.	sail - traverse or travel on (a body of water); "We sailed the Atlantic"; "He sailed the Pacific all alone" journey, travel - travel upon or across; "travel the oceans"
	2.	sail - move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions; "The diva swept into the room"; "Shreds of paper sailed through the air"; "The searchlights swept across the sky" sweep move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" swan - sweep majestically; "Airplanes were swanning over the mountains" sweep, brush - sweep across or over; "Her long skirt brushed the floor"; "A gasp swept cross the audience" ace, breeze through, pass with flying colors, sail through, sweep through, nail - succeed at easily; "She sailed through her exams"; "You will pass with flying colors"; "She nailed her astrophysics course"
	3.	sail - travel on water propelled by wind; "I love sailing, especially on the open sea"; "the ship sails on" navigation, pilotage, piloting - the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place run - sail before the wind luff, point - sail close to the wind weather - sail to the windward of boat - ride in a boat on water beat - sail with much tacking or with difficulty; "The boat beat in the strong wind" scud, rack - run before a gale outpoint - sail closer to the wind than wear round, tack - turn into the wind; "The sailors decided to tack the boat"; "The boat tacked" wear ship - turn away from the wind; "The sailors decided it was time to wear ship" change course, gybe, jib, jibe - shift from one side of the ship to the other; "The sail jibbed wildly"
	4.	sail - travel on water propelled by wind or by other means; "The QE2 will sail to Southampton tomorrow" navigate, voyage astrogate - navigate in space cruise - sail or travel about for pleasure, relaxation, or sightseeing; "We were cruising in the Caribbean" journey, travel - undertake a journey or trip

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sail

noun 1. sheet, canvas

verb 2. go by water, cruise, voyage, ride the waves, go by sea

verb 3. set sail, embark, get under way, put to sea, put off, leave port, hoist sail, cast or weigh anchor

verb 4. pilot, steer, navigate, captain, skipper

verb 5. glide, sweep, float, shoot, fly, wing, soar, drift, skim, scud, skirr

sail through something cruise through, walk through, romp through, pass easily, succeed easily at set sail put to sea, embark, get under way, put off, leave port, hoist sail, cast or weigh anchor

Translations

sail [seɪl] n (on boat) → vela

vt [+ boat] → gobernar

vi (= travel) [ship] → navegar; [passenger] → pasear en barco (= set off) (also: to set sail) → zarpar;

to go for a sail → dar un paseo en barco;

they sailed into Copenhagen → arribaron a Copenhague

sail through vt fus [+ exam] → aprobar fácilmente

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sail [seɪl] n (on boat) → voile f (= trip);

to go for a sail → faire un tour en bateau vt [+ boat] → manœuvrer, piloter

vi (= travel) [ship] → avancer, naviguer: [passenger] → aller or se rendre (en bateau) (= set off); partir, prendre la mer;

(Sport) → faire de la voile;

they sailed into Le Havre → ils sont entrés dans le port du Havre

sail through vi, vt fus (fig) → réussir haut la main

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sail [seɪl] n → Segel nt

vt → segeln

vi → fahren;

(Sport) → segeln;

(begin voyage) (ship) → auslaufen: (passenger) → abfahren (fig) (ball etc) → fliegen, segeln;

to go for a sail → segeln gehen;

to set sail → losfahren, abfahren

sail through sail vt fus (fig) (exam etc) → spielend schaffen

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sail [seɪl] n [+ on boat] → vela (= trip): to go for a sail → fare un giro in barca a vela

vt (boat) → condurre, governare

vi (= travel) [ship] → navigare: [passenger] → viaggiare per mare (= set off); salpare;

(SPORT) → fare della vela;

they sailed into Genoa → entrarono nel porto di Genova

sail through vt fus (fig) → superare senza difficoltà

vi → farcela senza difficoltà