sail
SAIL, n. L. sal, salt.
1. In navigation, a spread of canvas, or an assemblage of several breadths of canvas, or some substitute for it, sewed together with a double seam at the borders, and edged with a cord called the bolt-rope, to be extended on the masts or yards for receiving the impulse of wind by which a ship is driven. The principal sails are the courses or lower salts, the top-sails and top-gallant-sails.
2. In poetry, wings.
3. A ship or other vessel; used in the singular for a single ship, or as a collective name for many. We saw a sail at the leeward. We saw three sail on our star-board quarter. The fleet consists of twenty sail.
To loose sails, to unfurl them.
To make sail, to extend an additional quantity of sail.
To set sail, to expand or spread the sails; and hence; to begin a voyage.
To shorten sail, to reduce the extent of sail, or take in a part.
1. To strike sail, to lower the sails suddenly, as in saluting or in sudden gusts of wind.
2. To bate show or pomp.
SAIL, v.i.
1. To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water. A ship sails from New York for Liverpool. She sails ten knots an hour. She sails well close-hauled.
2. To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water. We sailed from London to Canton.
3. To swim.
Little dolphins, when they sail in the vast shadow of the British whale.
4. To set sail; to begin a voyage. We sailed from New York for Havre, June 15, 1824. We sailed from Cowes for New York, May 10, 1825.
5. To be carried in the air, as a balloon.
6. To pass smoothly along.
As is a wingd messenger from heaven, when he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds, and sails upon the bosom of the air.
7. To fly without striking with the wings.
SAIL, v.t.
1. To pass or move upon in a ship, by means of sails.
A thousand ships were mannd to sail the sea.
This use is elliptical, on or over being omitted.
2. To fly through
Sublime she sails th aerial space, and mounts the winged gales.
sailed
SAILED, pp. Passed in ships or other water craft.
sailing
SAILING, ppr. Moving on water or in air; passing in a ship or other vessel.
SAILING, n.
1. The act of moving on water; or the movement of a ship or vessel impelled or wafted along the surface of water by the action of wind on her sails.
2. Movement through the air, as in a balloon.
3. The act of setting sail or beginning a voyage.