sail

M

mathman

Valued Senior Member
The word sail is used in two related contexts. As as noun it refers to a sheet of cloth used to propel a ship. As a verb it means travel by ship. Which came first?
 
Those are both the same context, though one is a noun and the other is a verb.

A brief Google reveals a dozen articles defining the etymology of the word. Which one do you like?
 
mathman said:
The word sail is used in two related contexts. As as noun it refers to a sheet of cloth used to propel a ship. As a verb it means travel by ship. Which came first?
Click to expand...
justaguess
We seem more likely to make verbs out of nouns rather than make nouns out of verbs.
ergo
It seems most ;likely that the noun sail preceded the verb sail.

now
let us visit assail
related to sail?
 
DaveC426913 said:
Those are both the same context, though one is a noun and the other is a verb.

A brief Google reveals a dozen articles defining the etymology of the word. Which one do you like?
Click to expand...
It looks like the noun came first, both from Old English.
 
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