| sail | 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 the action of steam or other power. 2. To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a water fowl. 3. To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water; as, they sailed from London to Canton. 4. To set sail; to begin a voyage. 5. To move smoothly through the air; to glide through the air without apparent exertion, as a bird. "As is a winged messenger of heaven, . . . When he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds, And sails upon the bosom of the air." (Shak) Origin: AS. Segelian, seglian. See Sail. Origin: OE. Seil, AS. Segel, segl; akin to D. Zeil, OHG. Segal, G. & Sw. Segel, Icel. Segl, Dan. Seil. 1. An extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is made serviceable as a power for propelling vessels through the water. "Behoves him now both sail and oar." (Milton) 2. Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail. 3. A wing; a van. "Like an eagle soaring To weather his broad sails." (Spenser). 4. The extended surface of the arm of a windmill. 5. A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft. In this sense, the plural has usually the same forms as the singular; as, twenty sail were in sight. 6. A passage by a sailing vessel; a journey or excursion upon the water. Sails are of two general kinds, fore-and-aft sails, and square sails. Square sails are always bent to yards, with their foot lying across the line of the vessel. Fore-and-aft sails are set upon stays or gaffs with their foot in line with the keel. A fore-and-aft sail is triangular, or quadrilateral with the after leech longer than the fore leech. Square sails are quardrilateral, but not necessarily square. See Phrases under Fore, and Square,; also, Bark, Brig, Schooner, Ship, Stay. Sail burton, to lower the sails suddenly, as in saluting, or in sudden gusts of wind; hence, to acknowledge inferiority; to abate pretension. Under sail, having the sails spread. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| sail sound | A sound, likened to the snapping of a sail; the abnormal first heart sound in some patients with Ebstein's anomaly. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sailfish | <zoology> The banner fish, or spikefish (Histiophorus) The basking, or liver, shark. The quillback. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sailor | One who follows the business of navigating ships or other vessels; one who understands the practical management of ships; one of the crew of a vessel; a mariner; a common seaman. Synonym: Mariner, seaman, seafarer. Sailor's choice. <zoology> An excellent marine food fish (Diplodus, or Lagodon, rhomboides) of the Southern United States; called also porgy, squirrel fish, yellowtail, and salt-water bream. A species of grunt (Orthopristis, or Pomadasys, chrysopterus), an excellent food fish, common on the southern coasts of the United States; called also hogfish, and pigfish. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| sailor's skin | Dry, wrinkled skin with presence of dry premalignant keratoses; observed most commonly in fair-skinned, blue-eyed persons who are exposed by occupation or sport to sunshine for prolonged periods and over many years. Synonym: golfer's skin, sailor's skin. (05 Mar 2000) |