sail
/seɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /seɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsāl as last element in compounds often səl/ (ame, mw)
sail — verb
- sailpresent simple I / you / we / they
- sailshe / she / it
- sailedpast simple
- sailing-ing form
1. To move across water — used when describing a boat or ship that is pushed by win
To move across water — used when describing a boat or ship that is pushed by wind or an engine, or when describing people travelling in such a vessel.
The ferry sails between the two islands every morning.
sail between [two places]
Zola watched the little wooden boat sail slowly towards the harbour.
Cargo ships sail across the Atlantic Ocean in about ten days.
The cruise ship will sail from Barcelona to Rome next summer.
My grandparents sailed to America on a large passenger ship in 1970.
- dock
to bring a ship into a port and stop it
文法句型
sail + adverb/preposition phrase
sail from [place] to [place]
用法筆記
Subject is always a boat, ship, or the people onboard. This sense never takes a direct object — use 'sail across', 'sail to', 'sail from' etc.
常見錯誤
2. To steer and manage a boat that moves by catching the wind in its sails — either
To steer and manage a boat that moves by catching the wind in its sails — either as a leisure activity, a sport, or a practical skill.
Liang learned to sail on his uncle's boat during summer holidays at the lake.
learn to sail
Selim sailed the small boat across the lake by himself for the first time.
sail + [boat] + destination
Every summer the Patel family goes sailing on the wide river to prepare for the local boat race.
Nila sails her small boat in weekend races and has won three trophies this year.
Christopher spent the afternoon sailing his new boat around the bay.
文法句型
sail + object (boat)
go sailing
learn to sail
用法筆記
Frequently used in the fixed expression 'go sailing' to describe the leisure activity. When used transitively, the object is always a boat or ship, never a person.
常見錯誤
3. To leave a port or place and start a journey by water — used when a ship departs
To leave a port or place and start a journey by water — used when a ship departs or when passengers begin a sea voyage at a scheduled time.
The ship sails at dawn, so we need to be at the port by five.
sail at [time] for departure
After a week in the harbour, the fleet finally sailed for the open ocean.
sail for [destination]
The captain announced that they would sail at the next high tide.
Ada watched the cargo ship sail out of the harbour and disappear into the fog.
- depart
general word for leaving, not limited to water travel; more formal
- leave port
a more specific maritime expression
文法句型
sail + adverb of time
sail from [place]
sail for [destination]
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'for' to indicate destination ('sail for Lisbon'), and with a time expression for the departure schedule ('sails at 6 p.m.').
常見錯誤
4. To move quickly, smoothly, and without effort — used for a person gliding confid
To move quickly, smoothly, and without effort — used for a person gliding confidently through a space, an object flying through the air, or someone completing a task with ease.
Manuela sailed through the interview and got the job the next day.
sail through [something] for easy success
The paper plane sailed across the classroom and landed on the teacher's desk.
Christopher sailed past the security guard without stopping to show his pass.
The frisbee sailed over the fence and landed in the neighbour's garden.
The dancer sailed across the stage as if the floor were made of clouds.
- glide
more physical; implies continuous smooth motion
- breeze through
informal; specifically about completing tasks with ease
- struggle
to move or proceed with difficulty
文法句型
sail + adverb/preposition phrase
sail through [something]
用法筆記
Common with 'through' when describing easy completion of a task, and with 'past' when describing moving without being stopped. Not used with a direct object.
常見錯誤
sail — noun
- sailsingular
- sailsplural
1. A strong sheet of material, often canvas, fixed to the mast of a boat so that th
A strong sheet of material, often canvas, fixed to the mast of a boat so that the wind fills it and drives the vessel forward on the water.
The sailor raised the sail as the wind began to blow from the east.
raise/lower the sail
A strong gust of wind tore a hole in the sail during the storm.
The crew unfurled the white sails, and the boat began to glide across the calm harbour.
Pim helped his father fold the sail after they returned to the harbour.
Stefan checked the sails carefully before taking the boat out on the lake.
- canvas
technically the material sails are made from; sometimes used to mean 'sail' in literary contexts
文法句型
raise/lower a sail
the sails of a boat
用法筆記
The plural 'sails' is common because most boats have more than one. 'Set sail' (idiom) means to begin a journey — see noun sense 4.
常見錯誤
2. One of the long, flat blades attached to a windmill that catches the wind and tu
One of the long, flat blades attached to a windmill that catches the wind and turns, creating power to grind grain or pump water.
The old wooden windmill still has four sails that turn in the afternoon breeze.
sails of a windmill
One of the windmill's sails broke during the storm and had to be replaced.
The sails of the windmill turned slowly as the sun set behind the hills.
The windmill's four wooden sails turned steadily, grinding wheat into flour for the village.
文法句型
the sails of a windmill
用法筆記
Most common in descriptions of traditional windmills. Modern wind turbines use the term 'blade' or 'turbine blade', not 'sail'.
3. A trip made in a boat or ship, especially one taken for enjoyment or as a short
A trip made in a boat or ship, especially one taken for enjoyment or as a short excursion on the water.
We took a short sail around the bay to watch the sunset.
take/go for a sail
The sail from Keelung to Okinawa takes about two days by ferry.
Their first sail across the Atlantic Ocean was an unforgettable experience.
Eliska invited her friends for a sail along the coast last Sunday.
The two-hour sail around the island was the best part of our holiday.
文法句型
go for a sail
a sail around/across/to [place]
用法筆記
Often used in the fixed expressions 'go for a sail' and 'take a sail'. This sense is typically singular — 'a sail' not 'sails' — and usually refers to a leisure trip rather than commercial transport.
常見錯誤
4. The act of beginning a journey by boat or ship — used only in the fixed phrase '
The act of beginning a journey by boat or ship — used only in the fixed phrase 'set sail', meaning to depart from a port.
The adventurers set sail for the South Pacific early on Monday morning.
set sail for [destination]
After months of preparation, the crew finally set sail at sunrise.
The explorer set sail from Lisbon in search of a new trade route.
The crew set sail on a clear morning with a strong wind behind them.
文法句型
set sail (for [place])
用法筆記
This sense is bound to the fixed phrase 'set sail'. 'Set' is always the verb; 'sail' is the noun within the phrase. Do not modify it (e.g. 'set a sail' or 'set sails' changes the meaning to the literal action of unfurling a sail).