- sail
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} nounADJECTIVE▪ main (usually mainsail)▪ canvasVERB + SAIL▪ hoist, raise, rig▪ drop, lower▪ adjust, trim▪ fill▪
The dinghy gathered speed as the wind filled her sails.
▪ reef, shorten▪ furl, unfurlSAIL + VERB▪ billow, flap, flutter▪The bay was full of boats with billowing sails.
▪ fill▪ hang▪The white canvas sail hung limply against the mast.
▪ catch the air, catch the wind▪The sails caught the wind once more and they were on their way.
SAIL + NOUN▪ boat (usually sailboat) (AmE)PHRASES▪ the days of sail▪The boat is preserved as a monument to the days of sail.
▪ in full sail, under full sail▪a pirate ship under full sail
▪ set sail (for … )▪We set sail for France at first light.
▪ under sail▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}The ship came in under sail and anchored near us.
verbADVERB▪ gracefully, serenely, smoothly▪ single-handed▪to sail single-handed around the world
▪ away, back, off, on, out, past▪The boat sailed gracefully on into the distance.
VERB + SAIL▪ know how to▪ learn to▪ teach sb toPREPOSITION▪ across▪He sailed across the Atlantic.
▪ around, round (esp. BrE)▪to sail around the world
▪ for▪The ferry sailed for Staten Island.
▪ from, to▪We were sailing from Dover to Calais.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.