Sail vs. Topsail

A sail is a tensile structure—made from fabric or other membrane materials—that uses wind power to propel sailing craft, including sailing ships, sailboats, windsurfers, ice boats, and even sail-powered land vehicles. Sails may be made from a combination of woven materials—including canvas or polyester cloth, laminated membranes or bonded filaments—usually in a three- or four-sided shape.

A topsail ("tops'l") is a sail set above another sail; on square-rigged vessels further sails may be set above topsails.

a piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship or other vessel

A square sail set above the lowest sail on the mast of a square-rigged sailing vessel.

a wind-catching apparatus attached to the arm of a windmill.

A triangular or square sail set above the gaff of a lower sail on a fore-and-aft-rigged sailing vessel.

a voyage or excursion in a ship, especially a sailing ship or boat

(nautical) A sail or either of the two sails rigged just above the course sail and supported by the topmast on a square-rigged sailing ship.

the conning tower of a submarine.

(nautical) In a fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat, the sail that is set above the gaff at the top part of the mast.

a canvas sheet or tarpaulin

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.

travel in a boat with sails, especially as a sport or recreation

a sail (or either of a pair of sails) immediately above the lowermost sail of a mast and supported by a topmast

move smoothly and rapidly or in a stately or confident manner

A piece of fabric sewn together and fitted to the spars and rigging of a vessel so as to convert the force of the wind into forward motion of the vessel.

The sails of a ship or boat.

A narrow fairwater supporting the bridge of a submarine.

pl. sail or sails Nautical A sailing vessel.

(Nautical) A trip or voyage in a sailing craft.

Something, such as the blade of a windmill, that resembles a sail in form or function.

To move across the surface of water, especially by means of a sailing vessel.

To travel by water in a vessel.

To start out on such a voyage or journey

To operate a sailing craft, especially for sport.

To move along or progress smoothly or effortlessly

To move along through the air

To navigate or manage (a vessel).

To voyage upon or across

(nautical) A piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a combination of mast, spars and ropes.

The concept of a sail or sails, as if a substance.

(uncountable) The power harnessed by a sail or sails, or the use of this power for travel or transport.

A trip in a boat, especially a sailboat.

A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.

(nautical) The conning tower of a submarine.

The blade of a windmill.

A tower-like structure found on the dorsal (topside) surface of submarines.

The floating organ of siphonophores, such as the Portuguese man-of-war.

(fishing) A sailfish.

(paleontology) an outward projection of the spine, occurring in certain dinosaurs and synapsids

Anything resembling a sail, such as a wing.

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 steam or other power.

To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a waterfowl.

To ride in a boat, especially a sailboat.

(intransitive) To set sail; to begin a voyage.

To move briskly and gracefully through the air.

(intransitive) To move briskly but sedately.

To deal out (cards) from a distance by impelling them across a surface.

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.

Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail.

A wing; a van.

The extended surface of the arm of a windmill.

A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.

A passage by a sailing vessel; a journey or excursion upon the water.

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.

To move through or on the water; to swim, as a fish or a water fowl.

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

To set sail; to begin a voyage.

To move smoothly through the air; to glide through the air without apparent exertion, as a bird.

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.

To fly through; to glide or move smoothly through.

To direct or manage the motion of, as a vessel; as, to sail one's own ship.

a large piece of fabric (as canvas) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel

an ocean trip taken for pleasure

traverse or travel by ship on (a body of water);

move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions;

travel in a boat propelled by wind;

travel by boat on a boat propelled by wind or by other means;