n. pl. (Naut.) The sails on the mizzenmast, or on the stays between the mainmast and mizzenmast. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Assailed p. pr. & vb. n. Assailing. ] [ OE. assailen, asailen, OF. asaillir, assailler, F. assaillir; a (L. ad) + saillir to burst out, project, fr. L. salire to leap, spring; cf. L. assilire to leap or spring upon. See Sally. ] 1. To attack with violence, or in a vehement and hostile manner; to assault; to molest; as, to assail a man with blows; to assail a city with artillery. [ 1913 Webster ]

No rude noise mine ears assailing. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

No storm can now assail
The charm he wears within. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To encounter or meet purposely with the view of mastering, as an obstacle, difficulty, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thorny wilds the woodmen fierce assail. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To attack morally, or with a view to produce changes in the feelings, character, conduct, existing usages, institutions; to attack by words, hostile influence, etc.; as, to assail one with appeals, arguments, abuse, ridicule, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The papal authority . . . assailed. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

They assailed him with keen invective; they assailed him with still keener irony. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To attack; assault; invade; encounter; fall upon. See Attack. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being assailed. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. assaillant, p. pr. of assaillir. ] Assailing; attacking. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. assaillant. ] One who, or that which, assails, attacks, or assaults; an assailer. [ 1913 Webster ]

An assailant of the church. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who assails. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or power of assailing; attack; assault. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

His most frequent assailment was the headache. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ OF. beseel, F. bisaïeul, fr. L. bis twice + LL. avolus, dim. of L. avus grandfather. ] 1. A great-grandfather. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A kind of writ which formerly lay where a great-grandfather died seized of lands in fee simple, and on the day of his death a stranger abated or entered and kept the heir out. This is now abolished. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) (a) The sail bent to the foreyard of a square-rigged vessel, being the lowest sail on the foremast. (b) The gaff sail set on the foremast of a schooner. (c) The fore staysail of a sloop, being the triangular sail next forward of the mast. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) the topsail on a foremast. See Sail. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Having all its sails set, ; hence, without restriction or reservation. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A small triangular sail having its foot extended upon the gaff and its luff upon the topmast. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F., from gris gray. ] 1. (Fine Arts) Decorative painting in gray monochrome; -- used in English especially for painted glass. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A kind of French fancy dress goods. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) Any sail set forward of the foremast. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. voile latine a sail in the shape of a right-angled triangle; cf. It. & Sp. vela latina; properly Latin sail. See Latin. ] (Naut.) A triangular sail, extended by a long yard, which is slung at about one fourth of its length from the lower end, to a low mast, this end being brought down at the tack, while the other end is elevated at an angle or about forty-five degrees; -- used in small boats, feluccas, xebecs, etc., especially in the Mediterranean and adjacent waters. Some lateen sails have also a boom on the lower side. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A square sail bent upon a yard that hangs obliquely to the mast and is raised or lowered with the sail. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) The principal sail in a ship or other vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ They ] hoised up the mainsail to the wind. Acts xxvii. 40. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The mainsail of a ship is extended upon a yard attached to the mainmast, and that of a sloop or schooner upon the boom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a topsail set on the mainmast. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Naut.) A sail sometimes carried in light winds, above a skysail. R. H. Dana, Jr. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To excel, or to leave behind, in sailing; to sail faster than. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To assail again; as, Her old fears reassailed her. Usually used without the hyphen. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. & i. To sail again; also, to sail back, as to a former port. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) See Ringtail, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. seil, AS. segel, segl; akin to D. zeil, OHG. segal, G. & Sw. segel, Icel. segl, Dan. seil. √ 153. ] 1. An extent of canvas or other fabric by means of which the wind is made serviceable as a power for propelling vessels through the water. [ 1913 Webster ]

Behoves him now both sail and oar. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A wing; a van. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Like an eagle soaring
To weather his broad sails. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The extended surface of the arm of a windmill. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense, the plural has usually the same form as the singular; as, twenty sail were in sight. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A passage by a sailing vessel; a journey or excursion upon the water. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Sails are of two general kinds, fore-and-aft sails, and square sails. Square sails are always bent to yards, with their foot lying across the line of the vessel. Fore-and-aft sails are set upon stays or gaffs with their foot in line with the keel. A fore-and-aft sail is triangular, or quadrilateral with the after leech longer than the fore leech. Square sails are quadrilateral, but not necessarily square. See Phrases under Fore, a., and Square, a.; also, Bark, Brig, Schooner, Ship, Stay. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sail burton (Naut.), a purchase for hoisting sails aloft for bending. --
Sail fluke (Zool.), the whiff. --
Sail hook, a small hook used in making sails, to hold the seams square. --
Sail loft, a loft or room where sails are cut out and made. --
Sail room (Naut.), a room in a vessel where sails are stowed when not in use. --
Sail yard (Naut.), the yard or spar on which a sail is extended. --
Shoulder-of-mutton sail (Naut.), a triangular sail of peculiar form. It is chiefly used to set on a boat's mast. --
To crowd sail. (Naut.) See under Crowd. --
To loose sails (Naut.), to unfurl or spread sails. --
To make sail (Naut.), to extend an additional quantity of sail. --
To set a sail (Naut.), to extend or spread a sail to the wind. --
To set sail (Naut.), to unfurl or spread the sails; hence, to begin a voyage. --
To shorten sail (Naut.), to reduce the extent of sail, or take in a part. --
To strike sail (Naut.), to lower the sails suddenly, as in saluting, or in sudden gusts of wind; hence, to acknowledge inferiority; to abate pretension. --
Under sail, having the sails spread. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sailed p. pr. & vb. n. Sailing. ] [ AS. segelian, seglian. See Sail, n. ] 1. To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water; to be impelled on a body of water by the action of steam or other power. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a water fowl. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water; as, they sailed from London to Canton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To set sail; to begin a voyage. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To move smoothly through the air; to glide through the air without apparent exertion, as a bird. [ 1913 Webster ]

As is a winged messenger of heaven, . . .
When he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds,
And sails upon the bosom of the air. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To pass or move upon, as in a ship, by means of sails; hence, to move or journey upon (the water) by means of steam or other force. [ 1913 Webster ]

A thousand ships were manned to sail the sea. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To fly through; to glide or move smoothly through. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sublime she sails
The aerial space, and mounts the wingèd gales. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To direct or manage the motion of, as a vessel; as, to sail one's own ship. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being sailed over; navigable; as, a sailable river. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A boat propelled by a sail or sails. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Duck or canvas used in making sails. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A sailor. [ R. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A ship or other vessel; -- with qualifying words descriptive of speed or manner of sailing; as, a heavy sailer; a fast sailer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) (a) The banner fish, or spikefish (Histiophorus.) (b) The basking, or liver, shark. (c) The quillback. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of one who, or that which, sails; the motion of a vessel on water, impelled by wind or steam; the act of starting on a voyage. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) The art of managing a vessel; seamanship; navigation; as, globular sailing; oblique sailing. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ For the several methods of sailing, see under Circular, Globular, Oblique, Parallel, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sailing master (U. S. Navy), formerly, a warrant officer, ranking next below a lieutenant, whose duties were to navigate the vessel; and under the direction of the executive officer, to attend to the stowage of the hold, to the cables, rigging, etc. The grade was merged in that of master in 1862. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destitute of sails. Pollok. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One whose occupation is to make or repair sails. -- Sail"mak`ing, n. [1913 Webster]

n. One who follows the business of navigating ships or other vessels; one who understands the practical management of ships; one of the crew of a vessel; a mariner; a common seaman. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Mariner; seaman; seafarer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sailor's choice. (Zool.) (a) An excellent marine food fish (Diplodus rhomboides, syn. Lagodon rhomboides) of the Southern United States; -- called also porgy, squirrel fish, yellowtail, and salt-water bream. (b) A species of grunt (Orthopristis chrysopterus syn. Pomadasys chrysopterus), an excellent food fish common on the southern coasts of the United States; -- called also hogfish, and pigfish. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Like a sail. [ R. ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) The sail set next above the royal. See Illust. under Sail. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) (a) A sail extended by a sprit. (b) A sail formerly hung under the bowsprit, from the spritsail yard. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) Any sail extended on a stay. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Naut.) A light sail set at the side of a principal or square sail of a vessel in free winds, to increase her speed. Its head is bent to a small spar which is called the studding-sail boom. See Illust. of Sail. Toten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A contraction of Studding sail. [ 1913 Webster ]

With every rag set, stunsails, sky scrapers and all. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) In a square-rigged vessel, the sail next above the lowermost sail on a mast. This sail is the one most frequently reefed or furled in working the ship. In a fore-and-aft rigged vessel, the sail set upon and above the gaff. See Cutter, Schooner, Sail, and Ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

Topsail schooner. (Naut.) See Schooner, and Illustration in Appendix. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A fore-and-aft sail, bent to a gaff, and hoisted on a lower mast or on a small mast, called the trysail mast, close abaft a lower mast; -- used chiefly as a storm sail. Called also spencer. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To sail alongshore. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Inadequately equipped with sails. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

See abolishable.
See absolvable.
See absurd.
See abundant.
See accordant.
See adoptable.
See adventurous.
See affable.
See affectionate.
See afraid.
See alliable.
See allowable.
See alterable.
See ambiguous.
See ambitious.
See amendable.
See -American.
See amusive.
See angular.
See anxious.
See apocryphal.
See apostolic.
See apparent.
See appeasable.
See applausive.
See appreciable.
See apprehensible.
See apprehensive.
See approachable.
See artificial.
See artistic.
See assailable.
See attainable.
See attentive.
See authentic.
See available.
See bailable.
See bearable.
See beautiful.
See beliefful.
See believable.
See beneficial.
See benevolent.
See blamable.
See blemishable.
See blissful.
See boastful.
See bold.
See bookish.
See bounteous.
See bribable.
See brotherly.
See burdensome.
See businesslike.
See busy.
See candid.
See canonical.
See captious.
See careful.
See celestial.
See ceremonious.
See challengeable.
See changeable.
See chary.
See chastisable.
See cheerful.
See cheery.
See childish.
See chivalrous.
See choleric.
See christianlike.
See circumspect.
See civic.
See classible.
See classic.
See classical.
See cleanly.
See clear.
See clerical.
See clerklike.
See close.
See cloudy.
See clubbable.
See coagulable.
See cogitable.
See collectible.
See comic.
See commendable.
See commercial.
See communicable.
See communicative.
See compact.
See companionable.
See compassionate.
See compellable.
See competitive.
See complaisant.
See compliant. See complimentary.
See concealable.
See concurrent.
See conditionate.
See confinable.
See confutable.
See congealable.
See congenial.
See conjugal.
See conjunctive.
See conquerable.
See consecrate.
See containable.
See contaminate.
See contradictable.
See contrite.
See convenable.
See conventional.
See conversable.
See conversant.
See convertible.
See coquettish.
See cordial.
See corpulent.
See correspondent.
See corruptible.
See corruptive.
See costly.
See counselable.
See countable.
See counterfeit.
See courteous.
See courtierlike.
See courtly.
See crafty.
See creatable.
See critical.
See crystalline.
See cultivable.
See curious.
See customary.
See dangerous.
See daughterly.
See dead.
See deceivable.
See decidable.
See decipherable.
See declinable.
See decomposable.
See definable.
See delectable.
See deliberate.
See delightful.
See deliverable.
See democratic.
See demonstrable.
See demonstrative.
See deniable.
See derogatory.
See descendible.
See describable.
See desirable.
See desirous.
See despondent.
See devout.
See diaphanous.
See diligent.
See diminishable.
See discernible.
See disciplinable.
See discordant.
See discoverable.
See dissolvable.
See distinguishable.
See dividable.
See divine.
See domestic.
See doubtful.
[ 1913 Webster ]

See obnoxious.
See observable.
See observant.
See obstructive.
See obvious.
See official.
See officious.
See oppressive.
See ordinary.
See ordinate.
See original.
See ornamental.
See orthodox.
See ostentatious.
See pacifiable.
See pacific.
See painful.
See palatable.
See parallelable.
See pardonable.
See partable.
See participant.
See passionate.
See pastoral.
See pathetic.
See patriotic.
See peaceable.
See peaceful.
See pedantic.
See perceivable.
See perceptible.
See perilous.
See permanent.
See personable.
See perspirable.
See persuadable.
See persuasive.
See philanthropic.
See philosophic.
See philosophical.
See physical.
See picturesque.
See pierceable.
See pitiful.
See plain.
See plausible.
See plausive.
See pleadable.
See pleasurable.
See pliable.
See pliant.
See plumb.
See poetic.
See poetical.
See political.
See popular.
See populous.
See portable.
See potable.
See precarious.
See precise.
See pregnant.
See prejudicate.
See prelatical.
See premeditable.
See presentable.
See preservable.
See presumptuous.
See pretentious.
See pretty.
See prevalent.
See priestly.
See primitive.
See princely.
See procurable.
See producible.
See productive.
See professional.
See profitable.
See prolific.
See pronounceable.
See prophetic.
See propitious.
See proportionable.
See proportionate.
See prosperous.
See provable.
See punctilious.
See punctual.
See punishable.
See pure.
See qualifiable.
See quenchable.
See quiet.
See rational.
See readable.
See reasonable.
See recallable.
See reclaimable.
See recognizable.
See reconcilable.
See recoverable.
See recumbent.
See reformable.
See refusable.
See regardable.
See regardant.
See relative.
See relievable.
See reluctant.
See remarkable.
See remediable.
See rememberable.
See remorseful.
See removable.
See remunerative.
See repairable.
See repealable.
See repentant.
See reprovable.
See repugnant.
See requisite.
See requitable.
See resolvable.
See respectable.
See restful.
See retentive.
See returnable.
See revengeful.
See ridable.
See ridiculous.
See rightful.
See romantic.
See rough.
See royal.
See ruinable.
See ruly.
See sacrificial.
See safe.
See sage.
See sailable.
See salable.
See sane.
See sanguine.
See sanitary.
See satisfactory.
See satisfiable.
See saturable.
See savory.
See scalable.
See scaly.
See scholarly.
See scholastic.
See scientific.
See scornful.
See scriptural.
See sculptural.
See seaworthy.
See sectarian.
See secular.
See sedentary.
See selfish.
See sentient.
See sentimental.
See serviceable.
See severe.
See shamefaced.
See shamefast.
See shapely.
See shy.
See sick.
See sicker.
See sightly.
See simple.
See sinewy.
See sizable.
See sleek.
See slumberous.
See sly.
See smooth.
See smotherable.
See smutty.
See sober.
See sociable.
See social.
See solemn.
See soliciutous.
See solvable.
See speakable.
See speedy.
See spiritual.
See spontaneous.
See sportful.
See sportsmanlike.
See statutable.
See steadfast.
See steady.
See stormy.
See stout.
See strong.
See subduable.
See subject.
See submissive.
See subordinate.
See substantial.
See successive.
See succorable.
See suggestive.
See suitable.
See sunny.
See superfluous.
See supple.
See sure.
See surpassable.
See susceptible.
See suspect.
See suspectable.
See suspicious.
See sustainable.
See sweet.
See syllogistical.
See symbolic.
See sympathetic.
See systematic.
See tamable.
See tame.
See teachable.
See technical.
See tellable.
See tenable.
See tender.
See terrestrial.
See terrific.
See thankful.
See theological.
See thinkable.
See thirsty.
See thorny.
See thoughtful.
See tidy.
See tillable.
See toothsome.
See touchable.
See traceable.
See tractable.
See tragic.
See tranquil.
See transferable.
See translatable.
See transmutable.
See transparent.
See transpassable.
See traversable.
See tremulous.
See trimphant.
See trustworthy.
See trusty.
See tumultous.
See tunable.
See uniform.
See usable.
See useful.
See vanquishable.
See variant.
See venerable.
See venomous.
See veracious.
See verdant.
See veritable.
See vigilant.
See vigorous.
See virtuous.
See vital.
See vitrifiable.
See vocal.
See voidable.
See voluptuous.
See voyageable.
See vulgar.
See walkable.
See warlike.
See watchful.
See watery.
See wealthy.
See wearable.
See weary.
See welcome.
See wet.
See wholesome.
See wieldsome.
See willful.
See wily.
See witty.
See womanly.
See workable.
See workmanlike.
See worldly.
See worshipful.
See wrathful.
See writable.
See zealous.
------ and the like.
[ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. wes hāl (or an equivalent form in another dialect) be in health, which was the form of drinking a health. The form wes is imperative. See Was, and Whole. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. An ancient expression of good wishes on a festive occasion, especially in drinking to some one. [ 1913 Webster ]

Geoffrey of Monmouth relates, on the authority of Walter Calenius, that this lady [ Rowena ], the daughter of Hengist, knelt down on the approach of the king, and, presenting him with a cup of wine, exclaimed, Lord king waes heil, that is, literally, Health be to you. N. Drake. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An occasion on which such good wishes are expressed in drinking; a drinking bout; a carouse. “In merry wassail he . . . peals his loud song.” Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse,
Keeps wassail. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The victors abandoned themselves to feasting and wassail. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The liquor used for a wassail; esp., a beverage formerly much used in England at Christmas and other festivals, made of ale (or wine) flavored with spices, sugar, toast, roasted apples, etc.; -- called also lamb's wool. [ 1913 Webster ]

A jolly wassail bowl,
A wassail of good ale. Old Song. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A festive or drinking song or glee. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Have you done your wassail! 'T is a handsome, drowsy ditty, I'll assure you. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to wassail, or to a wassail; convivial; as, a wassail bowl. “Awassail candle, my lord, all tallow.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wassail bowl, a bowl in which wassail was mixed, and placed upon the table. “Spiced wassail bowl.” J. Fletcher. “When the cloth was removed, the butler brought in a huge silver vessel . . . Its appearance was hailed with acclamation, being the wassail bowl so renowned in Christmas festivity.” W. Irving. --
Wassail cup, a cup from which wassail was drunk. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To hold a wassail; to carouse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Spending all the day, and good part of the night, in dancing, caroling, and wassailing. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]