Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
sailing
English answer:
the skill required to operate and navigate a vessel
Added to glossary by
Fuad Yahya
Mar 6, 2004 10:10
20 yrs ago
English term
sailing question
English
Tech/Engineering
Ships, Sailing, Maritime
Can you talk about sailing when in fact you have a engine-powered which has, in fact, no sails? For example, we still say, "dial a number" when hardly any phones are literally dialled. Does the same occur with 'sailing' a boat?
Responses
| 2 +8 | yes |
Jonathan MacKerron
|
| 4 +14 | You can,... |
Fuad Yahya
|
| 5 +6 | Yes |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
|
| 5 | Sure. Same as with the phone issue... |
Gabriel Aramburo Siegert
|
| 3 | cruising |
Edith Kelly
|
Change log
Jan 3, 2006 08:59: Fuad Yahya changed "Field" from "Other" to "Tech/Engineering"
Jan 3, 2006 08:59: Fuad Yahya changed "Level" from "Non-PRO" to "PRO"
Responses
+8
5 mins
Jonathan MacKerron
Native in English
&
English
Retired as of Jan 2019!
Native in: English
Works in: German to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
yes
the term "sailing" was retained long into the era of steam and then gas-powered boats, even today we say that a ship is going to "sail" at a specific time, but it is becoming rather archaic
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, the synonms are going to be very useful:-)"
3 mins
Edith Kelly
Switzerland
Switzerland
Native in English
&
English
Switzerland
Professional conference interpreter
Native in: German 
, English
Works in: German to English, English to German, Dutch to German, and 4 more.
cruising
would be my take though one sometimes loosely uses *sailing*
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
davidgreen
1 min
|
|
Thanx David.
|
|
| neutral |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: Cruising appies to cruising but cannot offer a solution when racing or for merchant shipping where "sailing" can.
1 hr
|
| disagree |
Scott Horne (X)
: ditto
1 day 18 hrs
|
+14
5 mins
You can,...
...according to the American Heritage Dictionary, which gives the following as the first definition of "sailing":
"The skill required to operate and navigate a vessel; navigation."
"The skill required to operate and navigate a vessel; navigation."
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Melanie Nassar
5 mins
|
| agree |
senin
16 mins
|
| agree |
DGK T-I
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Rajan Chopra
3 hrs
|
| agree |
perke
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
4 hrs
|
| agree |
Refugio
: I don't think it is even archaic; we still say large ships will sail on a certain date.
5 hrs
|
| agree |
yolanda Speece
: because it is the motion of the vessel across the water so I don't see why not!
7 hrs
|
| agree |
BerylA
9 hrs
|
| agree |
karina koguta
15 hrs
|
| agree |
Sarah Ponting
21 hrs
|
| agree |
vixen
1 day 6 hrs
|
| agree |
Scott Horne (X)
1 day 18 hrs
|
| agree |
Jörgen Slet
1 day 20 hrs
|
+6
1 hr
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Psychologist, Court-certified legal
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English
Yes
Agree with Jonathan. There are also a number of other solutions, "be udnerway", "be bound for", "on route for", "heading..." for example
Fuller context would help.
Nikki
Fuller context would help.
Nikki
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Hermeneutica
: Yes ... as in "God bless her [ships and boats are always female] and all who sail in her" even for large cruising ships etc.
18 mins
|
| agree |
Tony M
: Yes... though note that if you are referring to the SKILL of sailing, then it sounds a bit odd; navigation MIGHT work, but unfortunately means more specifically the art of finding your way!
38 mins
|
|
Yes, more context needed!
|
|
| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Scott Horne (X)
1 day 17 hrs
|
| agree |
Jörgen Slet
1 day 19 hrs
|
| agree |
Rajan Chopra
3 days 3 hrs
|
4 days
Gabriel Aramburo Siegert
Ready Comprehensive 30 year experience
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish, Spanish to English, and 1 more.
Sure. Same as with the phone issue...
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