verb
sails; sailed; sailing
to travel on water in a ship or boat [no obj]
to control a ship or boat (especially one that has sails) while traveling on water [+ obj]
c of a ship or boat :to travel on water [+ obj]
[no obj] :to begin a journey on water in a ship or boat
always followed by an adverb or preposition [no obj] :to move or proceed in an easy, quick, and smooth way
sail close to the wind
Brit :to do something that is dangerous or that may be illegal or dishonest
noun
plural sails
[count] :a large piece of strong cloth that is connected to a ship or boat and that is used to catch the wind that moves the ship or boat through the water
[singular] :a trip in a ship or boat
in full sail
also at full sail
of a ship or boat :moving through the water by using all of its sails
set sail
to begin a journey on water in a ship or boat
take the wind out of someone's sails
under sail
of a ship or boat :moving through the water by using sails