Waft vs Sail - What's the difference?
waft | sail | Related terms |
(ergative) To (cause to) float easily or gently through the air.
* A breeze came in through the open window and wafted her sensuous perfume into my eager nostrils.
* 1922 , (James Joyce), Chapter 13
* 1914 , Hugh G. Evelyn-White’s translation of Hymn to Aphrodite from the .[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0138%3Ahymn%3D6]
To be moved, or to pass, on a buoyant medium; to float.
* Dryden
To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon.
* Shakespeare
A light breeze.
Something (a scent or odor), such as a perfume, that is carried through the air.
* 1908 ,
* 2010 September, "The SLM'' Calendar", , ISSN 1090-5723, volume 16, issue 9, page 170:
(nautical) A flag, (also called a waif or wheft), used to indicate wind direction or, with a knot tied in the center, as a signal.
(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.
* : Scene 1: 496-497
(uncountable) The power harnessed by a sail or sails, or the use this power for travel or transport.
A trip in a boat, especially a sailboat.
(dated) A sailing vessel; a vessel of any kind; a craft. Plural sail .
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
Anything resembling a sail, such as a wing.
* Spenser
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.
To set sail; to begin a voyage.
To move briskly and gracefully through the air.
* Shakespeare
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=April 15
, author=Saj Chowdhury
, title=Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest
, work=BBC Sport
To move briskly.
Waft is a related term of sail.
As nouns the difference between waft and sail
is that waft is a light breeze while sail is salt.As a verb waft
is (ergative) to (cause to) float easily or gently through the air.waft
English
Verb
(en verb)- Through the open window of the church the fragrant incense was wafted and with it the fragrant names of her who was conceived without stain of original sin…
- There the moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the loud-moaning sea in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Hours welcomed her joyously.
- And now the shouts waft near the citadel.
- But soft: who wafts us yonder?
Noun
(en noun)- Meanwhile, the wafts from his old home pleaded, whispered, conjured, and finally claimed him imperiously.
- Patrol Magazine says of this Oxford, Miss., band: "Guitars are responsible for every noise in Colour Revolt's mix—not a single note of piano, waft of synthesizer, or evidence of electronic tampering are to be found."
sail
English
(wikipedia sail)Etymology 1
From (etyl) 'to cut'. More at saw.Noun
(en noun)- When we have laugh'd to see the sails conceive / And grow big-bellied with the wanton wind;
- Let's go for a sail .
- Twenty sail were in sight.
- We caught three sails today.
- Like an eagle soaring / To weather his broad sails .
Hyponyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* balloon sail * by sail * drag sail * dragon sail * point of sail * sailback * sailboard * sailboat * sailcloth * sailer * sailfish * sailing * studding sail * set sail * take the wind out of someone's sails * topsail * working sailEtymology 2
(etyl) , cognate to earlier Middle Low German segelen and its descendant Low German sailen.Verb
(en verb)- We sail for Australia tomorrow.
- As is a winged messenger of heaven, / When he bestrides the lazy pacing clouds, / And sails upon the bosom of the air.
citation, page= , passage=A hopeful ball from Forest right-back Brendan Moloney to the left edge of the area was met first by Ruddy but his attempted clearance rebounded off Tyson's leg and sailed in.}}