under sail

sail

 (sāl)

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. A narrow fairwater supporting the bridge 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: Tomorrow we sail for the islands.

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.

3. To move along through the air: The ball sailed into the stands.

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.

Idiom:

under sail

Nautical With the sails up; sailing.

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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.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.