SAIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sail mean? 

• SAIL (noun)
  The noun SAIL has 3 senses:

1. a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel

2. an ocean trip taken for pleasure

3. any structure that resembles a sail

  Familiarity information: SAIL used as a noun is uncommon.

• SAIL (verb)
  The verb SAIL has 4 senses:

1. traverse or travel on (a body of water)

2. move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions

3. travel on water propelled by wind

4. travel on water propelled by wind or by other means

  Familiarity information: SAIL used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SAIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

canvas; canvass; sail; sheet

Hypernyms ("sail" is a kind of...):

piece of cloth; piece of material (a separate part consisting of fabric)

Meronyms (parts of "sail"):

reef (one of several strips across a sail that can be taken in or rolled up to lessen the area of the sail that is exposed to the wind)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "sail"):

crossjack; mizzen course (the lowermost sail on a mizzenmast)

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

topgallant; topgallant sail (a sail set on a yard of a topgallant mast)

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

skysail (the sail above the royal on a square-rigger)

save-all (a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail)

royal (a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast)

main-topsail (a topsail set on the mainmast)

mainsail (the lowermost sail on the mainmast)

headsail (any sail set forward of the foremast of a vessel)

foresail (the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel)

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

balloon sail (any light loose sail)

press of canvas; press of sail (the greatest amount of sail that a ship can carry safely)

Holonyms ("sail" is a part of...):

sailing ship; sailing vessel (a vessel that is powered by the wind; often having several masts)

Derivation:

sail (traverse or travel on (a body of water))

sail (travel on water propelled by wind)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An ocean trip taken for pleasure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

cruise; sail

Hypernyms ("sail" is a kind of...):

ocean trip; voyage (an act of traveling by water)

Derivation:

sail (travel on water propelled by wind or by other means)

sail (traverse or travel on (a body of water))

sail (travel on water propelled by wind)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any structure that resembles a sail

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("sail" is a kind of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)

• SAIL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sail    ... he / she / it sails   
Past simple: sailed   
Past participle: sailed   
-ing form: sailing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Traverse or travel on (a body of water)

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

He sailed the Pacific all alone

Hypernyms (to "sail" is one way to...):

journey; travel (travel upon or across)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence examples:

They sail the river
They sail down the river

Derivation:

sail (an ocean trip taken for pleasure)

sail (a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel)

sailor (a serviceman in the navy)

sailor (any member of a ship's crew)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

sail; sweep

Context example:

The searchlights swept across the sky

Hypernyms (to "sail" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Verb group:

brush; sweep (sweep across or over)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sail"):

swan (sweep majestically)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

sail through (succeed at easily)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Travel on water propelled by wind

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

the ship sails on

Hypernyms (to "sail" is one way to...):

boat (ride in a boat on water)

Domain category:

navigation; pilotage; piloting (the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sail"):

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)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

sail (an ocean trip taken for pleasure)

sail (a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel)

sailing (riding in a sailboat)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Travel on water propelled by wind or by other means

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

navigate; sail; voyage

Context example:

The QE2 will sail to Southampton tomorrow

Hypernyms (to "sail" is one way to...):

journey; travel (undertake a journey or trip)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sail"):

astrogate (navigate in space)

cruise (sail or travel about for pleasure, relaxation, or sightseeing)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Derivation:

sail (an ocean trip taken for pleasure)

 Context examples 

Then he went to the king, and asked for a ship for himself and his brothers; and they sailed together over the sea, till they came to the right place.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

When the storm was over, we set fore-sail and main-sail, and brought the ship to.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But no more unsatisfactory great man ever sailed on a ship.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Between two and three in the morning the moon rose; and I then, putting my basket aboard a little skiff, sailed out about four miles from the shore.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

He was in sailing ship, since Madam Mina tell of sails being set.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

“And when does the ship sail, Mr. Micawber?” asked my aunt.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

But the trouble lay in that the wind was not strong enough nor steady enough to keep the sail full.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The first officer, Mr. Jack Crocker, had been made a captain and was to take charge of their new ship, the Bass Rock, sailing in two days’ time from Southampton.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Might we not haul down sail and wait for better times?” suggested Sir Nigel.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And here you are, Mary, and you also, Roddy, and good luck to the carronade which has sent me into so snug a harbour without fear of sailing orders.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)