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Sail vs. Mast — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Sail and Mast

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Definitions

Sail

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.

Mast

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

Sail

A piece of material extended on a mast to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship or other vessel
All the sails were unfurled
The boat can no longer carry that area of sail

Mast

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

Sail

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

(with reference to tea) brew or infuse
Let the tea mast for a couple of minutes

Sail

A voyage or excursion in a ship, especially a sailing ship or boat
They went for a sail

Mast

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.

Sail

The conning tower of a submarine.

Mast

A single spar serving as a part of such a structure
The fore topgallant mast.
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Sail

A canvas sheet or tarpaulin
The sail covering the load of crates broke loose from the truck

Mast

A vertical pole.

Sail

Travel in a boat with sails, especially as a sport or recreation
Ian took us out sailing on the lake

Mast

A tall vertical antenna, as for a radio.

Sail

Move smoothly and rapidly or in a stately or confident manner
The ball sailed inside the right-hand post

Mast

A captain's mast.

Sail

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.

Mast

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

Sail

The sails of a ship or boat.

Mast

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).

Sail

A narrow fairwater supporting the bridge of a submarine.

Mast

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

Sail

Pl. sail or sails Nautical A sailing vessel.

Mast

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.

Sail

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

Mast

 The anabolic steroid Drostanolone propionate, also known as Masteron

Sail

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

Mast

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

Sail

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

Mast

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

Sail

To travel by water in a vessel.

Mast

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

Sail

To start out on such a voyage or journey
Tomorrow we sail for the islands.

Mast

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

Sail

To operate a sailing craft, especially for sport.

Mast

The fruit of the oak and beech, or other forest trees; nuts; acorns.
Oak mast, and beech, . . . they eat.
Swine under an oak filling themselves with the mast.

Sail

To move along or progress smoothly or effortlessly
Sailed into the room five minutes late.
Sailed through the exam.
Sailed through the red light.

Mast

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.
The tallest pineHewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mastOf some great ammiral.

Sail

To move along through the air
The ball sailed into the stands.

Mast

The vertical post of a derrick or crane.

Sail

To navigate or manage (a vessel).

Mast

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

Sail

To voyage upon or across
Sail the Pacific.

Mast

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

Sail

(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.

Mast

A vertical spar for supporting sails

Sail

The concept of a sail or sails, as if a substance.
Take in sail: a storm is coming.

Mast

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

Sail

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

Mast

Nuts of forest trees used as feed for swine

Sail

A trip in a boat, especially a sailboat.
Let's go for a sail.

Mast

Any sturdy upright pole

Sail

A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft.
Twenty sail were in sight.

Sail

(nautical) The conning tower of a submarine.

Sail

The blade of a windmill.

Sail

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

Sail

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

Sail

(fishing) A sailfish.
We caught three sails today.

Sail

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

Sail

Anything resembling a sail, such as a wing.

Sail

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.

Sail

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

Sail

To ride in a boat, especially a sailboat.

Sail

(intransitive) To set sail; to begin a voyage.
We sail for Australia tomorrow.

Sail

To move briskly and gracefully through the air.

Sail

(intransitive) To move briskly but sedately.
The duchess sailed haughtily out of the room.

Sail

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

Sail

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.
Behoves him now both sail and oar.

Sail

Anything resembling a sail, or regarded as a sail.

Sail

A wing; a van.
Like an eagle soaringTo weather his broad sails.

Sail

The extended surface of the arm of a windmill.

Sail

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

Sail

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

Sail

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.

Sail

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

Sail

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

Sail

To set sail; to begin a voyage.

Sail

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.

Sail

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.
A thousand ships were manned to sail the sea.

Sail

To fly through; to glide or move smoothly through.
Sublime she sailsThe aërial space, and mounts the wingèd gales.

Sail

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

Sail

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

Sail

An ocean trip taken for pleasure

Sail

Traverse or travel by ship on (a body of water);
We sailed the Atlantic
He sailed the Pacific all alone

Sail

Move with sweeping, effortless, gliding motions;
The diva swept into the room
Shreds of paper sailed through the air
The searchlights swept across the sky

Sail

Travel in a boat propelled by wind;
I love sailing, especially on the open sea

Sail

Travel by boat on a boat propelled by wind or by other means;
The QE2 will sail to Southampton tomorrow

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