outsail
/aut'seil/
Definition
Verb: 1. To sail faster than (another vessel): To move through water by means of sails at a greater speed. 2. To sail better or more skillfully than (another vessel or sailor): To outperform in sailing, which may involve speed, handling, or navigating more effectively.
Usage
The verb "outsail" is transitive and requires a direct object (the vessel or fleet being outperformed). It is used to describe a comparative advantage in sailing performance. * The primary object is the competitor: to outsail [someone/something]. * It often appears in narratives about races, naval battles, or historical voyages.
Examples
- The sleek new racing yacht was designed to outsail all its competitors.
- During the regatta, the experienced skipper managed to outsail the larger boats.
- Historical records suggest their ships could outsail any other fleet of the era.
Advanced Usage
- Figurative Use: While primarily literal, "outsail" can be used figuratively to mean to outperform or outpace generally.
- In the competitive tech market, their innovative strategy allowed them to outsail their rivals.
Variants and Related Words
- Outsailed (past tense and past participle): The form used for completed actions.
- They had outsailed the storm by changing course.
- Outsailing (present participle/gerund): The form used for ongoing actions or as a noun.
- The key to their victory was outsailing the enemy at the critical moment.
Synonyms
- Outpace: To surpass in speed.
- Outrun: To run or travel faster than (often used figuratively for sailing).
- Outmaneuver: To perform maneuvers more skillfully (emphasizes tactics over pure speed).
Related Phrases
- To sail past: A more common phrase with a similar meaning of moving ahead of another vessel.
- To gain on / To pull ahead of: Phrases describing increasing a lead over a competitor.
Verb
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sail faster or better than
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They outsailed the Roman fleet
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