26984 words

sail

11 definitions • 16 examples
1
When a boat or a ship sails, it travels on the water:

Examples:

The boat sailed along/down the coast.
As the battleship sailed by/past, everyone on deck waved.
The ship was sailing to China.
2
to control a boat that has no engine and is pushed by the wind:

Examples:

He sailed the dinghy up the river.
She sailed around the world single-handed in her yacht.
3
When a ship sails, it starts travelling, and when people sail from a particular place or at a particular time, they start travelling in a ship:

Examples:

Their ship sails for Bombay next Friday.
4
to move quickly, easily, and (of a person) confidently:

Examples:

The ball went sailing over the fence.
He wasn't looking where he was going, and just sailed straight into her.
5
a sheet of material attached to a pole on a boat to catch the wind and make the boat move:

Examples:

to hoist/lower the sails
6
On a windmill, a sail is any of the wide blades that are turned by the wind in order to produce power.
7
a journey by boat or ship:

Examples:

It's two days' sail/It's a two-day sail (= a journey of two days by sea) from here to the nearest island.
8

Examples:

set sail from We set sail from Kuwait.
9
to travel across water in a boat or ship, or to operate a boat or ship on the water:

Examples:

[ I ] He is not fun to sail with.
[ T ] I sail a small racing boat.
10
Sail also means to leave on a boat or ship:

Examples:

[ I ] When do we sail?
11
a sheet of material used to catch the wind and move a boat or ship:

Examples:

I restored an old wooden boat and got a new canvas sail for it.

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