# sally

/ˈsæɫi/ (US) · /sˈæli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sally
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a witty remark

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a clever or funny comment made during a conversation.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. military attack

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to set out

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

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

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often followed by the particle 'forth'.

### 4. a willow tree

noun · CEFR C2 · Dialect

a type of willow tree or its wood.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. Salvation Army member

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Informal · Slang

a member of the Salvation Army.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The soldiers made a brave sally into the enemy camp.
- After weeks of staying indoors to study, she made a brief sally into the city to enjoy the sunshine.
- The general's desperate sally managed to break the blockade, though the cost in manpower was high enough to make the victory feel hollow.

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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.