|
Strike Sail
To acknowledge oneself beaten; to eat umble pie. A maritime
expression. When a ship in fight or on meeting another ship, lets down
her topsails at least half-mast high, she is said to strike, meaning that she
submits or pays respect to the other.
Now Margaret
Must strike her sail, and learn a while to serve
When kings command.
Shakespeare; 3 Henry VI., iii. 8.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Strike Sail from Infoplease:
- Strike Sail - Strike Sail To acknowledge oneself beaten; to eat umble pie. A maritime expression. When a ship in ...
- Sail - Sail You may hoist sail. Cut your stick, be off. Maria saucily says to Viola, dressed in man's ...
- Vale of Bonnet - Vale of Bonnet (To). To cap to a superior; hence to strike sail, to lower (French, avaler, to take ...
- William Shakespeare: Henry IV (Pt 2), Act V, Scene II - How now, my lord chief-justice! whither away?
- Andrew Marvell: The Character of Holland - Holland, that scarce deserves the name of Land, As but th'Off-scouring of the Brittish Sand; And so much Earth as was contributed By English Pilots wh
|
24 X 7
Private Tutor
|
24 x 7 Tutor Availability |
|
|
Unlimited Online Tutoring |
|
|
1-on-1 Tutoring |
|
Atlas
Encyclopedia
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Day in History
