sailing

sailing — noun

1. the activity or sport of controlling a boat that uses the wind pushing against i

1.nounB1
Definition

the activity or sport of controlling a boat that uses the wind pushing against its sails to move across water

Example

Beatriz goes sailing every weekend with her father on the lake near their home.

collocation: go sailing

The sailing club is looking for new members to join the summer racing team.

Common collocations
  • go sailing
  • take sailing lessons
  • sailing club
  • sailing boat
  • a sailing trip
Synonyms
  • yachting

    more specific — refers to sailing as a leisure or racing activity on a yacht, often with connotations of wealth

  • boating

    broader — covers any kind of boat activity including motorboats, not limited to sail-powered vessels

Grammar Patterns

[uncountable] sailing

go + sailing

Usage Note

Uncountable — 'a sailing' is not used for this sense ('a sailing' belongs to sense 2). Frequently appears in the pattern 'go sailing'.

Common Mistakes

I like to do sailing on weekends.
I like to go sailing on weekends.
'go sailing' is the standard fixed pattern for describing the activity as a hobby.
Sailing are a popular sport in our town.
Sailing is a popular sport in our town.
'sailing' is uncountable and takes a singular verb.

2. a scheduled time when a ship or ferry leaves a port and begins its journey to an

2.nounB2
Definition

a scheduled time when a ship or ferry leaves a port and begins its journey to another destination

Example

The next sailing to the island is at six o'clock tomorrow morning.

collocation: next sailing to [destination]

Defne checked the sailing times before booking her ferry ticket to the mainland.

collocation: sailing times

Common collocations
  • next sailing
  • last sailing
  • sailing times
  • daily sailing
  • sailing to
  • sailing from
Synonyms
  • departure

    more general — used for any type of transport (trains, planes, buses), not just ships

  • crossing

    refers to the journey itself rather than the scheduled departure time

Grammar Patterns

[number] + sailing(s)

the next/last sailing

sailing to/from [place]

Usage Note

Countable — you can say 'a sailing' (meaning one departure). Most commonly used with 'next', 'last', or a number (e.g. 'three daily sailings'). Distinguish from sense 1 by the presence of a schedule or departure context.

Common Mistakes

The sailing from Kaohsiung to Penghu takes four hours.' (if meaning the journey itself)
The crossing from Kaohsiung to Penghu takes four hours.
'sailing' refers to the departure time, not the duration of the voyage.
Idioms

be plain sailing

idiom

If something is plain sailing, it is very easy and has no problems.

After fixing the engine, the rest of the trip was plain sailing.

Is the exam preparation plain sailing for your brother?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sailing, yachting, and boating all involve time on the water, but they differ in equipment and formality. Sailing refers strictly to vessels moved by wind on sails — it is the broadest term for the sport. Yachting is a subset of sailing done on a yacht, a larger, more luxurious sailboat, often associated with leisure, racing, or wealthy lifestyles. Boating is the most general term and includes motorboats, speedboats, rowboats, and canal boats in addition to sailboats. If someone says 'I went sailing last weekend,' you picture a boat with sails. If they say 'I went boating,' you cannot be sure what kind of vessel they used. In Taiwan, 帆船運動 (sailing) is the most common term, while 遊艇活動 (yachting) carries luxury connotations.

sailing ↗yachtingboating

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sailing club
  • sailing boat
  • sailing ship
  • sailing lesson
  • sailing time

Phrases

  • go sailing
  • the next sailing
  • the last sailing
  • daily sailing

Prepositions

  • sailing to [place]
  • sailing from [place]

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'sailing' comes from Old English 'seġlian' (to travel by sail), which can be traced back to Proto-Germanic '*seglōną' and further to Proto-Indo-European '*sek-' meaning 'to cut' — referring to cutting through the water. The noun form 'sailing' developed in Middle English as the gerund of the verb 'sail', referring both to the art of navigating a sail-powered vessel and later to scheduled ship departures.