Sail
Noun
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. 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.
Usage : The white sails billow with the breezes they catch.
Verb
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.
Usage : John sailed into the room five minutes late.
John sailed through the exam.
John sailed through the red light.
She sailed the Atlantic single-handed.
The boat is due to sail tonight.
We got into the lift and sailed to the top floor.
He loaded his vessel with another cargo and set sail.
Idioms on Sail:
Hoist your sail when the wind is fair.
Begin a project when circumstances are the most favorable.
Usage : Don’t ask your mother for permission now; she’s in a bad mood. Hoist your sail when the wind is fair.
Wait until the economy has stabilized before trying to start your own business. Hoist your sail when the wind is fair.
knock the wind out of someone’s sails
1. Literal meaning. to bring someone to an abrupt halt by a heavy blow to the body, presumably knocking the person’s wind out. (Alludes to a ship being slowed by positioning another ship to block off the wind from the first ship’s sails.)
Usage : Fred hit Mike and really knocked the wind out of his sails.
Fred ran into the side of the garage and knocked the wind out of his sails.
2. Figurative. to humiliate someone.
Usage : The sharp rebuke from the boss knocked the wind out of his sails.
That scolding really knocked the wind out of her sails.
The sharp rebuke from the boss knocked the wind out of his sails.
That scolding really knocked the wind out of her sails.
take the wind out of someone’s sails
to challenge someone’s boasting or arrogance.
Usage : John was bragging about how much money he earned until he learned that most of us make more. That took the wind out of his sails.
Learning that one has been totally wrong about something can really take the wind out of one’s sails.
reef a sail in
to reduce the area of a ship’s sail, by folding the sail.
Usage : The first mate ordered the sailors to reef the sails in.
They had to reef in the sails.
sail (right) through something
1. Literal meaning. to travel through something in a boat or ship.
Usage : The line of boats sailed right through the Grenadines in the daylight hours.
We sailed through the narrows without a pilot.
2. Figurative. to go through something very quickly and easily.
Usage : The kids just sailed right through the ice cream and cake. There was not a bit left.
You have sailed through your allowance already.
3. Figurative. to get through a procedure, evaluation, or vote quickly and easily.
Usage : The proposal sailed through the committee with no debate.
I hope that this matter sails through quickly.
sail against something
to operate a boat or ship, so as to move against the wind.
Usage : It takes skill and training to sail against the wind.
The huge cruise ship sailed against the wind all the way to Thomas port.
sail along (something)
to travel on a course in a boat or plane.
Usage : The huge white ship sailed along the Amazon River slowly and peacefully.
The boat sailed along peacefully.
sail around
to travel by water in a boat or ship.
Usage : We sailed around for about an hour and then went back to the shore.
Let’s go out and sail around before dinner.
sail for some place
to depart in a boat or ship for some place.
Usage : This ship sails for Bridgetown, Barbados, at noon today.
We will sail for home early in the morning.
sail from some place to some place else
to move or travel from one place to another in a boat or ship.
Usage : We sailed from San Juan to Acapulco.
The ship sailed from its home port to Baltimore overnight.
sail in (to something)
1. Literal meaning. to travel into something or some place in a boat or ship.
Usage : We sailed into the harbor nearly an hour late.
We sailed in at noon.
2. Figurative. to move or proceed into something or some place gracefully or without resistance.
Usage : She sailed into the room wearing a flowing gown.
Three young maidens sailed into the room before the door closed.
sail into someone or something
1. to crash into someone or something with a boat or ship.
Usage : The boat sailed into the dock, causing considerable damage.
I was in my skiff when a larger boat sailed into me.
2. to crash into someone or something; to attack someone; to chastise someone
Usage : The missile sailed into the soldiers, injuring a few.
The car sailed into the lamppost.
The angry coach sailed into the players.
The teacher sailed into Timmy for breaking the window.
sail under false colors
1. Literal. to sail with false identification. (Origin : Pirates often sailed under the national flag of the ship they planned on attacking.)
Usage : The ship, sailing under false colors, suddenly started to pursue our ship.
Bluebeard, the pirate was known for sailing under false colors.
2. Figurative. to function deceptively.
Usage : You are not who you seem to be. You are sailing under false colors.
Tom was sailing under false colors and finally got caught.
sail up a river
to travel upstream on a river in a boat or ship.
Usage : We sailed up the Amazon River in a large, seagoing ship.
It was not possible to sail up the Mississippi as far as we wanted.
set sail for some place
to leave in a ship or boat for some place.
Usage : We set sail for Maldives at noon.
When do we set sail for Aggati?
sail close to the wind
to do something that is dangerous or only just legal or acceptable
Usage : I think she realized she was sailing a little too close to the wind and decided to tone down her criticism.
trim your sails
to spend less money.
Usage : The school is having to trim its sails because of government cutbacks.
sail through something
1. to go quickly and smoothly through something.
Usage : In the early evening light, we watched bats sail through the air, scooping up insects.
2. to easily succeed in something.
Usage : The new voting machines sailed through their first election day test last Tuesday.