sail

/seɪl/

/seɪl/

Other forms: sailed; sails

A sail is the big piece of cloth attached to a mast that propels a sailboat through the water by catching the wind. Part of learning to sail a boat is learning how to use the sails.

Most sailboats have two sails, the mainsail and the jib or headsail on the front of the boat. When you sail, you pilot the boat, or simply ride on it — you can also say you go for a sail. Additionally, the verb sail is used when something seems to float on the air: "The kite sails high in the blue sky." You "sail through" something when it's very easy and quick.

Definitions of sail

1. noun

   a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
   synonyms: canvas, sheet

   types:

   balloon sail

   any light loose sail

   crossjack, mizzen course

   the lowermost sail on a mizzenmast

   fore-and-aft sail

   any sail not set on a yard and whose normal position is in a fore-and-aft direction

   foresail

   the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel

   headsail

   any sail set forward of the foremast of a vessel

   mainsail

   the lowermost sail on the mainmast

   main-topsail

   a topsail set on the mainmast

   press of canvas, press of sail

   the greatest amount of sail that a ship can carry safely

   royal

   a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast

   save-all

   a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail

   skysail

   the sail above the royal on a square-rigger

   square sail

   a four-sided sail set beneath a horizontal yard suspended at the middle from a mast

   topgallant, topgallant sail

   a sail set on a yard of a topgallant mast

   topsail

   a sail (or either of a pair of sails) immediately above the lowermost sail of a mast and supported by a topmast

   fore-topsail

   the topsail on a foremast

   gaff-headed sail, gaffsail

   a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail suspended from a gaff

   fore-and-aft topsail, gaff topsail

   a triangular fore-and-aft sail with its foot along the gaff and its luff on the topmast

   jib

   any triangular fore-and-aft sail (set forward of the foremast)

   lateen, lateen sail

   a triangular fore-and-aft sail used especially in the Mediterranean

   lug, lugsail

   a sail with four corners that is hoisted from a yard that is oblique to the mast

   main course

   a square mainsail

   mizen, mizzen

   fore-and-aft sail set on the mizzenmast

   spanker

   a fore-and-aft sail set on the aftermost lower mast (usually the mizzenmast) of a vessel

   spinnaker

   a large and usually triangular headsail; carried by a yacht as a headsail when running before the wind

   spritsail

   a fore-and-aft sail extended by a sprit

   staysail

   a fore-and-aft sail set on a stay (as between two masts)

   type of:

   piece of cloth, piece of material

   a separate part consisting of fabric
2. noun

   any structure that resembles a sail
   type of:

   construction, structure

   a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
3. noun

   an ocean trip taken for pleasure
   synonyms: cruise

   type of:

   ocean trip, voyage

   an act of traveling by water
4. verb

   traverse or travel on (a body of water)
   “We sailed the Atlantic”

   “He sailed the Pacific all alone”

   type of:

   journey, travel

   travel upon or across
5. verb

   travel on water propelled by wind or by other means
   “The QE2 will sail to Southampton tomorrow”

   synonyms: navigate, voyage

   types:

   astrogate

   navigate in space

   cruise

   sail or travel about for pleasure, relaxation, or sightseeing

   type of:

   journey, travel

   undertake a journey or trip
6. verb

   travel on water propelled by wind
   “I love sailing, especially on the open sea”

   “the ship sails on”

   types:

   run

   sail before the wind

   luff, point

   sail close to the wind

   weather

   sail to the windward of

   beat

   sail with much tacking or with difficulty

   rack, scud

   run before a gale

   outpoint

   sail closer to the wind than

   tack, wear round

   turn into the wind

   wear ship

   turn away from the wind

   change course, gybe, jib, jibe

   shift from one side of the ship to the other

   type of:

   boat

   ride in a boat on water
7. verb

   move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions
   “Shreds of paper sailed through the air”

   synonyms: sweep

   brush, sweep

   sweep across or over

   types:

   swan

   sweep majestically

   type of:

   move

   move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion