sally

n. a clever or funny comment made during a conversation.

n. a witty or imaginative remark, often used as a playful retort or quip.

“The audience laughed at his clever sally during the debate.”

“Her latest sally at the dinner table left the guests amused, though her target seemed slightly embarrassed by the sharp wit.”

Literary

n. a sudden rush of soldiers from a defended place to attack the enemy.

n. a sudden charge or sortie by troops from a besieged place against the enemy.

“The soldiers made a desperate sally to break the enemy's line.”

“Under the cover of darkness, the garrison attempted a final sally to disrupt the siege engines positioned outside the city walls.”

Formal

v. to set out or go on a journey, especially with energy or purpose.

v. to set out on an excursion or journey; frequently used in the phrasal form 'sally forth'.

“We decided to sally forth and explore the city despite the rain.”

“The group prepared their gear at dawn, ready to sally forth into the wilderness for their week-long expedition.”

Literary

n. a type of willow tree or its wood.

n. a willow tree of any of several species; also the wood from such a tree.

“The riverbank was lined with old sally trees leaning over the water.”

“Local craftsmen traditionally used the flexible branches of the sally to weave sturdy baskets for the harvest.”

Dialect

n. a member of the Salvation Army.

n. a member of the Salvation Army; also used as a nickname for the organisation itself.

“The local Sally was out collecting donations for the holiday food drive.”

“He spent his weekends volunteering with the Sallies, helping to provide hot meals for the homeless in the city centre.”

British English · Informal · Slang