Topsail

Pronunciation: /ˈtɒpseɪl/

Definitions of topsail

noun a sail set above the lowermost sail on a mast of a square-rigged ship

Example Sentences

A1 The pirate ship had a large topsail.

A2 The sailor climbed up to adjust the topsail.

B1 The captain ordered the crew to hoist the topsail.

B2 The topsail fluttered in the wind as the ship sailed on.

C1 The intricate design of the topsail was a marvel to behold.

C2 The topsail was expertly crafted by the ship's sailmaker.

Examples of topsail in a Sentence

formal The sailor climbed up to adjust the topsail in order to catch the wind more efficiently.

informal I saw a cool old ship with a massive topsail while I was out on the water.

slang Check out the topsail on that yacht, it's huge!

figurative Raising the topsail of innovation can help propel your business to new heights.

Grammatical Forms of topsail

• plural: topsails
• comparative: more topsail
• superlative: most topsail
• present tense: topsail
• future tense: will topsail
• perfect tense: has topsailed
• continuous tense: is topsailing
• singular: topsail
• positive degree: topsail
• infinitive: to topsail
• gerund: topsailing
• participle: topsailed

Origin and Evolution of topsail

First Known Use: 1400 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'topsail' originated from the combination of the words 'top' and 'sail', referring to the sail set above the lowermost sail on a mast.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the context of sailing ships, the term 'topsail' has evolved to also refer to a type of sail used in various other types of vessels and even in some modern recreational activities like kiteboarding.