# bare poles

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bare-poles
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

The condition of a sailing boat when all of its sails have been taken in.

## Examples

- The storm hit, so the crew went to bare poles.
- With the wind gusting at fifty knots, the captain ordered the crew to go to bare poles to avoid capsizing.
- As the tempest raged and the mainsail threatened to split, the seasoned skipper commanded the vessel to bare poles, trusting only the engine to carry them through the maelstrom.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.