sail

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

Synonyms:: canvas, canvass, sheet

Types:: show 26 types...; hide 26 types...; balloon sail
any light loose sail; crossjack, mizzen course
the lowermost sail on a mizzenmast; fore-and-aft sail
any sail not set on a yard and whose normal position is in a fore-and-aft direction; foresail
the lowest sail on the foremast of a square-rigged vessel; headsail
any sail set forward of the foremast of a vessel; mainsail
the lowermost sail on the mainmast; main-topsail
a topsail set on the mainmast; press of canvas, press of sail
the greatest amount of sail that a ship can carry safely; royal
a sail set next above the topgallant on a royal mast; save-all
a sail set to catch wind spilled from a larger sail; skysail
the sail above the royal on a square-rigger; square sail
a four-sided sail set beneath a horizontal yard suspended at the middle from a mast; topgallant, topgallant sail
a sail set on a yard of a topgallant mast; topsail
a sail (or either of a pair of sails) immediately above the lowermost sail of a mast and supported by a topmast; fore-topsail
the topsail on a foremast; gaff-headed sail, gaffsail
a quadrilateral fore-and-aft sail suspended from a gaff; fore-and-aft topsail, gaff topsail
a triangular fore-and-aft sail with its foot along the gaff and its luff on the topmast; jib
any triangular fore-and-aft sail (set forward of the foremast); lateen, lateen sail
a triangular fore-and-aft sail used especially in the Mediterranean; lug, lugsail
a sail with four corners that is hoisted from a yard that is oblique to the mast; main course
a square mainsail; mizen, mizzen
fore-and-aft sail set on the mizzenmast; spanker
a fore-and-aft sail set on the aftermost lower mast (usually the mizzenmast) of a vessel; spinnaker
a large and usually triangular headsail; carried by a yacht as a headsail when running before the wind; spritsail
a fore-and-aft sail extended by a sprit; staysail
a fore-and-aft sail set on a stay (as between two masts)

Type of:: piece of cloth, piece of material
a separate part consisting of fabric

n any structure that resembles a sail

Type of:: construction, structure
a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts

n an ocean trip taken for pleasure

Synonyms:: cruise

Type of:: ocean trip, voyage
an act of traveling by water

v traverse or travel on (a body of water)

“We sailed the Atlantic”

“He sailed the Pacific all alone”

Type of:: journey, travel
travel upon or across

v travel on water propelled by wind or by other means

“The QE2 will sail to Southampton tomorrow”

Synonyms:: navigate, voyage

Types:: astrogate
navigate in space; cruise
sail or travel about for pleasure, relaxation, or sightseeing

Type of:: journey, travel
undertake a journey or trip

v travel on water propelled by wind

“I love sailing, especially on the open sea”

“the ship sails on”

Types:: show 9 types...; hide 9 types...; 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

Type of:: boat
ride in a boat on water

v move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions

“Shreds of paper sailed through the air”

Synonyms:: sweep

: brush, sweep
sweep across or over

Types:: swan
sweep majestically

Type of:: move
move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion