Sail vs. Mast — What's the Difference?

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 tall upright post, spar, or other structure on a ship or boat, in sailing vessels generally carrying a sail or sails.

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

The fruit of beech, oak, chestnut, and other forest trees, especially as food for pigs.

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

(with reference to tea) brew or infuse

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

A vertical structure consisting of a spar or several spars affixed end-to-end, rising from the keel or deck of a sailing vessel to support the sails.

The conning tower of a submarine.

A single spar serving as a part of such a structure

A canvas sheet or tarpaulin

A vertical pole.

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

A tall vertical antenna, as for a radio.

Move smoothly and rapidly or in a stately or confident manner

A captain's mast.

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 nuts of forest trees accumulated on the ground, especially considered as a food source for wildlife or for domestic swine.

The sails of a ship or boat.

A tall, slim post or tower, usually tapering upward, used to support, for example, sails or observation platforms on a ship, the main rotor of a helicopter, flags, floodlights, meteorological instruments, or communications equipment, such as an aerial, usually supported by guy-wires (except in the case of a helicopter).

A narrow fairwater supporting the bridge of a submarine.

(naval) A non-judicial punishment ("NJP"); a disciplinary hearing under which a commanding officer studies and disposes of cases involving those under his command.

Pl. sail or sails Nautical A sailing vessel.

The fruit of forest-trees (beech, oak, chestnut, pecan, etc.), especially if having fallen from the tree, used as fodder for pigs and other animals.

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

 The anabolic steroid Drostanolone propionate, also known as Masteron

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

A type of heavy cue, with the broad end of which one strikes the ball.

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

To supply and fit a mast to (a ship).

To travel by water in a vessel.

(of swine and other animals) To feed on forest seed or fruit.

To start out on such a voyage or journey

To produce a very large quantity of fruit or seed in certain years but not others.

To operate a sailing craft, especially for sport.

The fruit of the oak and beech, or other forest trees; nuts; acorns.

To move along or progress smoothly or effortlessly

A pole, or long, strong, round piece of timber, or spar, set upright in a boat or vessel, to sustain the sails, yards, rigging, etc. A mast may also consist of several pieces of timber united by iron bands, or of a hollow pillar of iron or steel.

To move along through the air

The vertical post of a derrick or crane.

To navigate or manage (a vessel).

A spar or strut to which tie wires or guys are attached for stiffening purposes.

To voyage upon or across

To furnish with a mast or masts; to put the masts of in position; as, to mast a ship.

(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.

A vertical spar for supporting sails

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

Nuts of forest trees (as beechnuts and acorns) accumulated on the ground; used especially as food for swine

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

Nuts of forest trees used as feed for swine

A trip in a boat, especially a sailboat.

Any sturdy upright pole

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;