sailless - See: SET SAIL, RAKE THE WIND OUT OF ONE'S SAILS.

sailless - n. & v.
--n.

1 a piece of material (orig. canvas, now usu. nylon etc.) extended on rigging to catch the wind and propel a boat or ship.
2 a ship's sails collectively.
3 a a voyage or excursion in a sailing-ship. b a voyage of specified duration.
4 a ship, esp. as discerned from its sails.
5 (collect.) ships in a squadron or company (a fleet of twenty sail).
6 (in pl.) Naut. a sl. a maker or repairer of sails. b hist. a chief petty officer in charge of rigging.
7 a wind-catching apparatus, usu. a set of boards, attached to the arm of a windmill.
8 a the dorsal fin of a sailfish. b the tentacle of a nautilus. c the float of a Portuguese man-of-war.

--v.

1 intr. travel on water by the use of sails or engine-power.
2 tr. a navigate (a ship etc.). b travel on (a sea).
3 tr. set (a toy boat) afloat.
4 intr. glide or move smoothly or in a stately manner.
5 intr. (often foll. by through) colloq. succeed easily (sailed through the exams).

sail-arm the arm of a windmill. sail close to (or near) the wind 1 sail as nearly against the wind as possible.
2 come close to indecency or dishonesty; risk overstepping the mark. sail-fluke = MEGRIM(2). sailing-boat (or -ship or -vessel) a vessel driven by sails. sailing-master an officer navigating a ship, esp. Brit. a yacht. sailing orders instructions to a captain regarding departure, destination, etc. sail into colloq. attack physically or verbally with force. take in sail 1 furl the sail or sails of a vessel.
2 moderate one's ambitions. under sail with sails set.

sailable adj. sailed adj. (also in comb.). sailless adj. [OE segel f. Gmc]