I. sail 1 S3 /seɪl/ BrE AmE 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.
II. sail 2 BrE AmE 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