Have you ever heard someone say, “Learning to sail is plain sailing”? That’s an idiom! Idioms are fun phrases that don’t mean what the words actually say. In this post, we’ll explore some common sailing-related idioms, explain what they really mean, and show you how they’re used in sentences.
Sailing Idioms
Here are 20 sailing idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
All hands on deck
Meaning: Everyone must help
Example: We need all hands on deck to finish on time.
Batten down the hatches
Meaning: Prepare for trouble
Example: They batten down the hatches as the storm approached.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea
Meaning: Stuck between two dangers
Example: I was between the devil and the deep blue sea with my choices.
Clear the decks
Meaning: Prepare for action
Example: Let’s clear the decks for the big project.
Full steam ahead
Meaning: Proceed with maximum speed
Example: It was full steam ahead with the new strategy.
Learn the ropes
Meaning: Understand new things
Example: He quickly learned the ropes in his new job.
On board
Meaning: In agreement
Example: Everyone is on board with the plan.
Plain sailing
Meaning: Easy and straightforward
Example: After the fix, it was plain sailing.
Rock the boat
Meaning: Cause trouble
Example: Don’t rock the boat before the meeting.
Sail close to the wind
Meaning: Behave riskily
Example: He often sails close to the wind with his jokes.
Sail through
Meaning: Pass easily
Example: She sailed through the exam.
Show the flag
Meaning: Display presence or support
Example: We must show the flag at the parade.
Steer clear of
Meaning: Avoid
Example: He steered clear of controversy.
Take the helm
Meaning: Assume leadership
Example: She took the helm during the crisis.
Tight ship
Meaning: Well-managed situation
Example: He runs a very tight ship in his department.
Trim the sails
Meaning: Adjust plans
Example: We need to trim the sails on our budget.
Under full sail
Meaning: At maximum capacity
Example: Our team is working under full sail to meet deadlines.
Weather a storm
Meaning: Survive a crisis
Example: We weathered the storm of inquiries.
With flying colors
Meaning: With great success
Example: He passed with flying colors.
Without a rudder
Meaning: Lost, without direction
Example: He felt without a rudder after losing his job.
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