| 释义 |
sail
I. \ˈsāl, esp before pause or consonant -āəl\ noun
(-s ; see sense 1b)
Etymology: Middle English seil, sail, from Old English segl; akin to Old Frisian seil sail, Old Saxon segel, Old High German segal, Old Norse segl sail, sægr piece torn off of something, strip, sög saw — more at saw
1.
a. : an extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is used to propel ships through the water; collectively : the sails of a ship
< boats large enough to carry sail — Thor Heyerdahl >
b. plural usually sail : sailing ship
< saw one sail, a brig — Arnold Bennett >
< its mackerel fleet comprised seventy sail — Elizabeth Coatsworth >
< a good many sails in the bay — G.W.Brace >
2. : an extent of fabric used in propelling a wind-driven vehicle (as an iceboat)
3. : something that resembles a sail: as
a. : the extended surface of the arm of a windmill
b. : a wing of a bird (as a hawk)
c. : fin
d. : tentacle
e. : a streamlined conning tower on a submarine
4. Africa : buck sail
5. [sail (II) ]
a.
(1) obsolete : sailing ability
< finding his ship but ill of sail — William Monson >
(2) : the handling and navigation of ships under sail as distinct from under steam
b.
(1) : a passage by a sailing ship : cruise
< a sail upon the bay >
< a sail around the world >
(2) : the distance coverable in a specified period of sailing
< two days' sail from port >
c. obsolete : a group sailing together
< a large sail of ducks passed here — Jonathan Swift >
•
- under sail
 [sail 1a (of a schooner): 1 flying jib, 2 jib, 3 forestaysail, 4 foresail, 5 fore gaff-topsail, 6 main-topmast staysail, 7 mainsail, 8 main gaff-topsail]
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English seilen, sailen, from Old English seglian, seglan; akin to Middle Low German segelen to sail, Middle High German segelen, sigelen, Old Norse sigla; denominative from the stem of English sail (I)
intransitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to travel on water in a ship propelled by the wind
(2) : to travel in a ship propelled by steam or other means
< sail down the river by steamer >
b. : to take trips in or manage a sailboat for pleasure : yacht
2.
a. : to move forward (as of a ship on water) by the action of wind upon sails
b. : to move forward on water by the action of steam or other motive power
c. : to move without visible effort through or on the water
< the swan sailing on the lake >
3. : to begin a water voyage
< sail with the tide >
4. : to glide through the air without apparent exertion
< the white clouds sailed across the sky — William Black >
5. : to travel or go in any of various manners: as
a. : to stride in a stately, pompous, or proud manner
< sailed gracefully into the room — L.C.Douglas >
b. : to move without effort
< held the door for us and we sailed through — P.E.Deutschman >
c. : to move or arrive so as to attract attention or create a disturbance
< sail up in their big new car >
6.
a. : to begin vigorously to do something : attack with gusto — used with in or into
< coffee and sandwiches, which I sailed into with … gratitude — H.A.Chippendale >
b. : to attack a person with words or blows — used with in or into
< with questions and complaints, one after another sailed into him — A.R.Williams >
transitive verb
1.
a. : to move or travel upon (water) by means of sail, steam, or other motive power
< trawlers sailing the fishing grounds >
< the first man to sail these waters >
b. : to fly through : glide or move smoothly through
< gray hawks … sailing the sky — J.M.Synge >
2. : to direct or manage the motion of (a ship or glider)
< tugboats and the men who sail them — advt >
3. : to cause to move smoothly through the air
< sail a discus > |