• IPA: /seɪl/, [seɪ̯ɫ]

sail

1. (nautical) A piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a combination of mast, spars and ropes.
   • c. 1595–1596, William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene i] ↗:

     When we haue laughed#English|laught to ſee the ſailes conceiue / And grow big bellied with the wanton winde; {{...}

2. (nautical,uncountable) The concept of a sail or sails, as if a substance.

   Take in sail: a storm is coming.

3. (uncountable) The power harnessed by a sail or sails, or the use of this power for travel or transport.
4. A trip in a boat, especially a sailboat.

   Let's go for a sail.

5. (dated, plural "sail") A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.

   Twenty sail were in sight.

6. The blade of a windmill.
7. A tower-like structure found on the dorsal (topside) surface of submarines.
8. The floating organ of siphonophores, such as the Portuguese man-of-war.
9. (fishing) A sailfish.

   We caught three sails today.

10. (paleontology) an outward projection of the spine, occurring in certain dinosaur and synapsid
11. Anything resembling a sail, such as a wing.

    • Like an eagle soaring / To weather his broad sails.

• French: voile
• German: Segel
• Italian: vela
• Portuguese: vela
• Russian: па́рус
• Spanish: vela

• French: voile

• French: balade en mer, balade en voilier
• German: Törn
• Portuguese: velejada

• French: aile
• German: Windmühlenflügel
• Italian: pala
• Portuguese: pá
• Russian: крыло́
• Spanish: aspa

• French: massif
• Italian: vela

• French: flotteur, pneumatophore
• Russian: па́рус

sail (sails, present participle sailing; past and past participle sailed)

1. To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water; to be impelled on a body of water by steam or other power.
2. To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a waterfowl.
3. To ride in a boat, especially a sailboat.
4. (intransitive) To set sail; to begin a voyage.

   We sail for Australia tomorrow.

5. To move briskly and gracefully through the air.
   • c. 1591–1595, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene ii]:

     As is a winged messenger of heaven, […] / When he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds, / And sails upon the bosom of the air.

   • 2002 March 20, Kazuki Takahashi, Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories (PlayStation video game, North American version), Konami:

     [flavor text of the card "Spirit of the Winds"]

     A spirit of the wind that freely sails the skies.

6. (intransitive) To move briskly.

   The duchess sailed haughtily out of the room.

• French: (intransitive) voguer, (transitive) gouverner, faire du bateau, faire de la voile, naviguer
• German: segeln
• Italian: navigare a vela, veleggiare, condurre
• Portuguese: velejar
• Russian: плыть под паруса́ми
• Spanish: navegar

• French: voler
• German: segeln
• Italian: veleggiare
• Portuguese: deslizar

• German: segeln

sail (plural sails)

1. Acronym of snow avalanche impact landform