sail

sail

I

sail¹ S3 /seɪl/ 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

sail² noun1. [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