sail
[verb]
Synonyms:
- embark, set sail
- glide, drift, float, fly, skim, soar, sweep, wing
- pilot, steer

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. sail¹ S3 /seɪl/ verb

1. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to travel on or across an area of water in a boat or ship
sail across/into/out of etc
the first Europeans to sail across the Atlantic
Three tall ships sailed past.
She always wanted to sail around the world.
sail the Pacific/the Atlantic etc
We’re taking two months off to sail the Caribbean.

2. [intransitive] to start a journey by boat or ship:
We sail at dawn.
sail for
They’re sailing for Antigua next week.

3. [intransitive and transitive] to direct or control the movement of a boat or ship that has a sail:
Blake sailed the ship safely through the narrow passage.
My father taught me to sail.

4. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move quickly and smoothly through the air
sail through/over/into etc
A ball came sailing over the fence.

5. [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move forwards gracefully and confidently:
She sailed into the room.

6. sail close to the wind British English to do or say something that is nearly wrong, illegal, or dishonest
sail through something phrasal verb
to succeed very easily in a test, examination etc:
Adam sailed through his final exams.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. sail² noun
[Language: Old English; Origin: segl]

1. [countable] a large piece of strong cloth fixed onto a boat, so that the wind will push the boat along:
a yacht with white sails
hoist/lower the sails (=put the sails up or down)

2. set sail to begin a journey by boat or ship
set sail for/from
The following week the ‘Queen Elizabeth’ set sail for Jamaica.

3. under sail literary moving along on a ship or boat that has sails

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

sail
noun
ADJ. main | canvas
VERB + SAIL hoist, raise | drop, lower | adjust, trim | fill The dinghy gathered speed as the wind filled her sails.
reef, shorten | furl
SAIL + VERB billow, flap The bay was full of yachts with billowing sails.
fill
SAIL + NOUN area, shape, size | canvas
PREP. under ~ The yacht came in under sail and anchored near us.
PHRASES the days of sail The boat is preserved as a monument to the days of sail.
in/under full sail She advanced towards us like a galleon in full sail.
set sail (for) We set sail for France at first light.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

sail
verb
ADV. serenely | single-handed to sail single-handed around the world
away, back, on, out, past The boat sailed serenely on towards the horizon.
VERB + SAIL learn to | teach sb to
PREP. across sailing across the English Channel
down, for The ferry sails for Southampton at 5.30.
from, into We sailed the boat out into the middle of the lake.
on We sailed on a large ocean liner. sailing on the sea | out of sailing out of the harbour | to sailing from Dover to Calais. | up, etc.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

sail
seɪl
See: set sail , rake the wind out of one's sails

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲