sail

sail — verb

1. To move across water — used when describing a boat or ship that is pushed by win

1.verbintransitiveA2
Definition

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.

Example

The ferry sails between the two islands every morning.

sail between [two places]

Zola watched the little wooden boat sail slowly towards the harbour.

Common collocations
  • sail across
  • sail from
  • sail to
  • sail on
  • sail between
Synonyms
  • cruise

    implies a pleasure trip rather than a routine crossing

  • voyage

    more formal and suggests a long journey, usually by sea

Antonyms
  • dock

    to bring a ship into a port and stop it

Grammar Patterns

sail + adverb/preposition phrase

sail from [place] to [place]

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

The ship sails in the ocean.
The ship sails on the ocean.
For travel across water, use 'on', not 'in'.

2. To steer and manage a boat that moves by catching the wind in its sails — either

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

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.

Example

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

Common collocations
  • go sailing
  • learn to sail
  • sail a boat
  • sail a yacht
Synonyms
  • steer

    more general; applies to any vehicle with a steering mechanism

  • navigate

    focuses on planning and directing a route rather than handling the sails

Grammar Patterns

sail + object (boat)

go sailing

learn to sail

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

I sailed my friend to the island.
I sailed my boat to the island.
The direct object of 'sail' is the vessel, not a passenger.

3. To leave a port or place and start a journey by water — used when a ship departs

3.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

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.

Example

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]

Common collocations
  • sail at
  • sail for
  • sail from
  • sail out of
  • sail on
Synonyms
  • depart

    general word for leaving, not limited to water travel; more formal

  • leave port

    a more specific maritime expression

Antonyms
  • dock

    to arrive at and tie up at a port

  • return

    to come back to the starting point

Grammar Patterns

sail + adverb of time

sail from [place]

sail for [destination]

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'for' to indicate destination ('sail for Lisbon'), and with a time expression for the departure schedule ('sails at 6 p.m.').

Common Mistakes

The ship sailed to New York from yesterday.
The ship sailed for New York yesterday.
Use 'for' (not 'to') when stating the destination of a departure.

4. To move quickly, smoothly, and without effort — used for a person gliding confid

4.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

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.

Example

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.

Common collocations
  • sail through
  • sail past
  • sail over
  • sail across
Synonyms
  • glide

    more physical; implies continuous smooth motion

  • breeze through

    informal; specifically about completing tasks with ease

Antonyms
  • struggle

    to move or proceed with difficulty

Grammar Patterns

sail + adverb/preposition phrase

sail through [something]

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

She sailed the exam easily.
She sailed through the exam easily.
Always use 'through' after 'sail' when describing effortless completion of a task.
Phrasal verbs

sail through

phrasal verb

To complete something very easily and without any problems.

Maya sailed through her final exams without much studying.

Did Diego sail through the job interview yesterday?

Idioms

sail close to the wind

idiom

To do something that is risky, possibly dangerous, or nearly against the rules.

The company sailed close to the wind by ignoring safety rules for months.

Pim knew he was sailing close to the wind when he told the boss that small lie.

sail — noun

Word family

  • sailing
    nounB1
  • sailor
    nounB1
  • sailboat
    nounB1
  • sailcloth
    nounC1
  • sailboard
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve travel on water, but they differ in purpose and scope. 'Sail' is the most general word for a boat or ship moving across water, and it often implies a scheduled or practical journey ('the ferry sails daily'). 'Cruise' refers to a pleasure trip at a relaxed pace, usually with planned stops at interesting ports ('we cruised along the Greek islands'). 'Navigate' focuses on the skill of planning and directing a route, and it can be used for any vehicle, not just boats ('she navigated the ship through the narrow channel'). 'Voyage' is more formal and suggests a long, adventurous journey, often crossing an ocean ('their voyage around the world took six months'). Use 'sail' for routine water travel, 'cruise' for leisure, 'navigate' for careful route-finding, and 'voyage' for grand, book-worthy journeys.

sail ↗cruise ↗navigate ↗voyage ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'sail' comes from Old English 'segel', which meant a piece of cloth used to catch wind and push a boat. This word traces back through Proto-Germanic 'seglą' to the Proto-Indo-European root 'sek-', meaning 'to cut' — because a sail cuts through the wind. The verb form 'sailan' (to travel by sail) appeared in Old English around the same time. Over centuries, 'sail' developed additional meanings: a blade of a windmill (from the 15th century), a sea voyage (from the 16th century), and the figurative sense of moving smoothly (from the 17th century).