Sailing - Dictionary Definition and Overview

Sailing :  adj : traveling by boat or ship [syn: at sea(p)] (noun)
1: the work of a sailor [syn: seafaring, navigation]
2: riding in a sailboat
3: the departure of a vessel from a port
4: the activity of flying a glider [syn: glide, gliding, sailplaning, soaring]

Based on WordNet 2.0

Sailing : \Sail"ing\, 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.

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

Note: For the several methods of sailing, see under Circular, Globular, Oblique, Parallel, etc.

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.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Sail \Sail\, 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.

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

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

4. To set sail; to begin a voyage.

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

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

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Circular \Cir"cu*lar\, a. [L. circularis, fr. circulus circle: cf. F. circulaire. See Circle.] 1. In the form of, or bounded by, a circle; round.

2. repeating itself; ending in itself; reverting to the point of beginning; hence, illogical; inconclusive; as, circular reasoning.

3. Adhering to a fixed circle of legends; cyclic; hence, mean; inferior. See Cyclic poets, under Cyclic.

Had Virgil been a circular poet, and closely adhered to history, how could the Romans have had Dido? --Dennis.

4. Addressed to a circle, or to a number of persons having a common interest; circulated, or intended for circulation; as, a circular letter.

A proclamation of Henry III., . . . doubtless circular throughout England. --Hallam.

5. Perfect; complete. [Obs.]

A man so absolute and circular In all those wished-for rarities that may take A virgin captive. --Massinger.

Circular are, any portion of the circumference of a circle. Circular cubics (Math.), curves of the third order which are imagined to pass through the two circular points at infinity.

Circular functions. (Math.) See under Function.

Circular instruments, mathematical instruments employed for measuring angles, in which the graduation extends round the whole circumference of a circle, or 360[deg].

Circular lines, straight lines pertaining to the circle, as sines, tangents, secants, etc.

Circular note or letter. (a) (Com.) See under Credit. (b) (Diplomacy) A letter addressed in identical terms to a number of persons.

Circular numbers (Arith.), those whose powers terminate in the same digits as the roots themselves; as 5 and 6, whose squares are 25 and 36. --Bailey. --Barlow.

Circular points at infinity (Geom.), two imaginary points at infinite distance through which every circle in the plane is, in the theory of curves, imagined to pass.

Circular polarization. (Min.) See under Polarization.

Circular or Globular sailing (Naut.), the method of Sailing : by the arc of a great circle.

Circular saw. See under Saw.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Example Usage of Sailing

sailing_news: Thailand voted favourite Sailing venue in Asia - PR-inside.com (press release) http://ff.im/-cAyZq
sailing_news: Glee Star Mark Sailing On His Trademark Mohawk: 'I Hate It!' - The Celebrity Truth (blog) http://ff.im/-cAyZ8
sailing_news: Rail bill, after Sailing through Florida House, faces Senate fight - Tampabay.com http://ff.im/-cAyZ3
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