Idioms for sail

Origin of sail

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

OTHER WORDS FROM sail

sail·a·ble, adjective sail·less, adjective un·sail·a·ble, adjective un·sailed, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for trim one's sails

sail
/ (seɪl) /

noun

verb (mainly intr)

Derived forms of sail

sailable, adjective sailless, adjective

Word Origin for sail

Old English segl; related to Old Frisian seil, Old Norse segl, German Segel

Idioms and Phrases with trim one's sails (1 of 2)

trim one's sails

Modify one's stand, adapt to circumstances, as in His advisers told him to trim his sails before he alienated voters and bungled the election completely. This metaphoric expression alludes to adjusting a ship's sails to take full advantage of prevailing winds. [Late 1700s]

Idioms and Phrases with trim one's sails (2 of 2)

sail