crowd sail
To carry an unusual amount of sail in an attempt to accelerate the speed of a vessel.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The captain decided to crowd sail to reach the port before dark.”
“To catch the fleeing ship, the commander ordered his crew to crowd sail despite the rising winds.”
“Desperate to outrun the approaching storm, the sailors chose to crowd sail, pushing the vessel to its absolute physical limit.”
- 01
beat the crowd
To arrive at a location or complete a task before a large group of people do so.
- 02
crowd in on
To join when not wanted; to force one's way into a situation where one is unwelcome.
- 03
follow the crowd
To conform to majority beliefs, opinions, or practices.
- 04
sail the high seas
To engage in piracy.
- 05
sail the Red Sea
To have vaginal sex with a woman during her menstruation
- 06
sail under false colors
To deceive or intentionally mystify.
- 07
shout fire in a crowded theater
To say something which is not protected by the First Amendment's right to freedom of speech because it would incite violence, panic or lawlessness.
- 08
take the wind out of someone's sails
To discourage someone greatly; to cause someone to lose hope or the will to continue; to thwart or minimize someone's ambitions.
Last updated August 10, 2026