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trim one's sails

sail
T t

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [seyl]
    • /seɪl/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [seyl]
    • /seɪl/

Definitions of trim one's sails words

  • noun trim one's sails an area of canvas or other fabric extended to the wind in such a way as to transmit the force of the wind to an assemblage of spars and rigging mounted firmly on a hull, raft, iceboat, etc., so as to drive it along. 1
  • noun trim one's sails some similar piece or apparatus, as the part of an arm that catches the wind on a windmill. 1
  • noun trim one's sails a voyage or excursion, especially in a sailing vessel: They went for a sail around the island. 1
  • noun trim one's sails a sailing vessel or ship. 1
  • noun trim one's sails sailing vessels collectively: The fleet numbered 30 sail. 1
  • noun trim one's sails sails for a vessel or vessels collectively. 1
See all 21 definitions of trim one's sails

Information block about the term

Origin of trim one's sails

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; (noun) Middle English sail(e), seille, Old English segl; cognate with German Segel, Old Norse segl; (v.) Middle English seillen, saylen, Old English siglan, seglian; cognate with Dutch zeilen, Old Norse sigla

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Trim one's sails

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Trim one's sails

trim one's sails popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

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