sail¹ /sāl/

1. A sheet of canvas, framework of slats, or other structure, spread to catch the wind, so as to propel a ship, drive a windmill, etc
2. A specified type of sail on a boat or ship (often shortened to s'l), as in foresail or fores'l
3. Sails collectively
4. A ship or ships
5. A trip in a vessel (which may or may not have sails)
6. An act or distance of sailing
7. Any sail-like organ or object
8. A wing, esp a hawk's
9. A submarine's conning-tower

1. To progress, travel or make trips in sailing-craft or any other type of ship
2. To set out on a voyage
3. To glide or float smoothly along (figurative)

1. To direct the course or movements of (a ship), navigate
2. To cause (a toy boat, etc) to sail
3. To pass over or along in a ship
4. To go through or get through effortlessly (figurative)

sailˈable adjective

Navigable

sailed adjective

Having sails

sailˈer noun

A boat or ship that can sail in a stated manner

sailˈing noun

1. Travelling, or a journey, by sails or on water
2. (the time of) a ship's departure from port
3. The art or activity of directing a ship's course

Of or relating to this activity

sailˈless adjective

sailˈor noun

1. A person who is employed in the operation of a ship, esp one who is not an officer
2. A mariner, seaman
3. A navigator
4. A person regarded in terms of ability to tolerate the heaving motion of a ship (as in good or bad sailor)
5. A sailor hat (informal)

sailˈoring noun

Occupation as a sailor

sailˈorless adjective

sailˈorlike or sailˈorly adjective

sail arm noun

One of the arms of a windmill

sailˈboard noun

A simple apparatus for sailing, usu consisting of a surfboard fitted with a single flexible mast, the sail being controlled by a hand-held boom

sailˈboarder noun

Someone who goes in for sailboarding

sailˈboarding noun

The sport of sailing a sailboard, windsurfing

sailˈboat noun (esp N American)

A (usu small) sailing boat

sailˈcloth noun

1. A strong cloth used for sails
2. Heavy cotton cloth used for garments

sailˈfish noun

1. A large game fish of the genus Istiophorus, related to the swordfish, with a large sail-like dorsal fin
2. Another name for the basking shark

sailˈ-flying noun

Flying in a sailplane

sailing boat noun

A boat moved by sails, though often having auxiliary motor power

sailing master noun

1. An officer in charge of navigation, esp of a yacht
2. Formerly a warrant officer in the US Navy

sailing orders plural noun

Instructions to the captain of a ship at setting forth on a voyage

sailing ship noun

A ship driven by sails

sail loft noun

A large room or loft with sufficient floor area to allow sails to be spread out while they are being made or repaired

sailˈmaker noun

sailˈmaking noun

sailor hat noun

A round hat with a wide, upcurved brim

sailˈor-man noun

A seaman

sailor suit noun

A child's outfit resembling that of a sailor

sailˈplane noun

A glider that can rise with an upward current

intransitive verb

To fly in a sailplane

sailˈroom noun

A room aboard a vessel for storing sails in

sailˈ-yard noun

The yard on which sails are extended

full sail

With all sails raised and filled with the wind

good (or bad) sailor

A person who is unaffected (or made ill) by the motion of a ship

make sail

1. To spread more canvas, raise more sails
2. To set off on a voyage

put on sail

To set more sails in order to travel more quickly (also figurative)

sail close to (or near) the wind see under wind¹

sail under false colours

To pretend to be what one is not

set sail

1. To spread the sails
2. To set forth on a voyage (with for)

shorten sail

To reduce its extent

strike sail

1. To lower a sail or sails
2. To retreat from one's stated position, eat humble pie

trim one's sails

To adjust or modify one's plans, policy or opinion to take account of changed circumstances

under sail

1. Having the sails spread
2. Propelled by means of sails

sail² /sāl/

To project

Projection

• purples
• purplest
• purple wood
• purplier
• purpliest
• purpling
• purplish
• purply
• purport
• purported
• purportedly
• purporting
• purportless
• purports
• purpose
• purpose-built
• purposed
• purposeful
• purposefully
• purposefulness
• purposefulnesses
• purposeless
• purposelessly
• purposelessness
• purposelessnesses