sail

SAYL/seɪl/

19 meanings of sail

1
nouncountable or uncountable
A large piece of cloth on a boat that catches the wind to push it along.
Like a big cloth that works like a kite to pull a boat along.
The boat's white sail filled with wind as we left the harbor.
They lowered the sails before the storm hit.
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2
verbintransitive
To travel in a boat, especially one that uses sails.
Like going for a car ride, but on the water in a boat.
We sail across the bay every summer weekend.
They sailed to the island on a small boat.
Similarcruise, voyage, navigate
3
verbintransitive
To move across water when wind pushes against the sails.
Like a leaf pushed across a pond by the wind.
The old ship can still sail when the wind is strong.
Their boat sailed smoothly once the breeze picked up.
Similartravel, cruise, run
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4
nouncountable or uncountable
A trip taken in a boat, especially one with sails.
Like a walk in the park, but done in a boat on the water.
We went for a sail around the lake on Sunday.
Their afternoon sail was calm and sunny.
Similarcruise, voyage, trip, passage
5
verbintransitive
To begin a trip by boat across the water.
We sail at dawn tomorrow.
The ship sailed for France last week.
Similardepart, embark, leave
Oppositearrive, dock
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6
verbintransitive
To move quickly and smoothly through the air.
Like a paper plane gliding across a room.
The ball can sail right over the fence when he hits it hard.
The kite sailed high above the trees.
Similarglide, fly, soar, float
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7
verbintransitive
To move in a smooth, confident, and steady way.
Like a swan gliding smoothly across a pond.
She sailed into the meeting ten minutes late.
Confident speakers sail through their presentations with ease.
Similarsweep, glide, breeze, float
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8
verbintransitive
To move through or on top of the water, as a fish or duck does.
We watched the swans sail across the pond.
The fish sailed through the clear water.
Similarglide, float, drift, skim, swim
9
nouncountable or uncountable
One of the flat arms on a windmill that the wind pushes to make it turn.
Like the big arms of a pinwheel that spin when the wind blows.
One sail of the old windmill had broken off in the storm.
The windmill's four sails turned slowly in the breeze.
Similarvane, blade, sweep
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10
nouncountable or uncountable
A part shaped like a sail, such as a wing or a fin.
The bat stretched a thin sail of skin between its long fingers.
The toy glider's paper sail caught the breeze and lifted off.
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11
noununcountable
The pushing power that wind gives a boat through its sails, used to move it.
Like a kite pulling you forward when the wind catches it.
We crossed the bay by sail because the engine had broken.
Under sail, the old ship could still reach a good speed.
Similarcanvas
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12
nouncountable or uncountable
A large ocean fish with a tall fin on its back, prized by sport fishers.
Its tall back fin stands up like a sail catching the wind.
The angler fought a big sail for nearly an hour before landing it.
We spotted a sail leaping out of the water near the boat.
Similarsailfish
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13
nouncountable or uncountable
The tall tower on the top of a submarine that sticks up above the hull.
Like the raised tower you see on top of a submarine in movies.
The crew climbed up through the sail to reach the open deck.
A periscope rose from the sail as the submarine neared the surface.
Similarfin
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14
nouncountable or uncountable
The raised control tower on a submarine, where officers steer and watch the sea.
Like the small tower on top where the captain can look out at the sea.
The captain stood in the sail as the submarine came up to the surface.
Water poured off the sail when the boat rose from the deep.
Similarfin
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15
nouncountable or uncountable
A tall, fin-like growth along the back of some extinct animals, held up by long spine bones.
Like a tall fan of skin standing up along the animal's back.
The dinosaur's huge sail may have helped it warm up in the morning sun.
Scientists think the bony sail was covered in skin.
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16
nouncountable or uncountable
The gas-filled part of a jellyfish-like sea creature that floats on top and catches the wind.
Like a little balloon that floats on the sea and gets pushed along by the wind.
The man-of-war drifts wherever the wind pushes its sail.
A purple sail bobbed on the surface as the creature floated past.
Similarfloat, pneumatophore
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17
noundatedcountable or uncountable
A ship or boat, especially when counted as one of a group of vessels.
Like saying 'wheels' to mean a car: one part stands for the whole thing.
The harbor was crowded, with thirty sail anchored in the bay.
A single sail appeared on the horizon at dawn.
Similarship, vessel, craft
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18
noununcountable
The cloth used to catch wind on a boat, thought of as a single material rather than separate pieces.
Like talking about 'glass' as a material, not as separate windows.
In the strong wind, the crew took in sail to slow the boat.
They put on more sail to catch up with the other boat.
Similarcanvas
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19
verbtransitive
To slide a playing card across a table toward someone, sending it from a distance.
Like sliding a coin across a table so it stops right in front of a friend.
She sailed the card across the table to her partner.
Watch how the dealers sail each card straight to the right player.
Similarslide, skim, flick, pitch
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Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1, 4, 9–18

From Old English seġl, meaning a sail.

Meanings 2–3, 5–8, 19

From Old English seġlan, siġlan, meaning to sail.