resail: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low / ObsoleteNautical, Literary, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “resail” mean?
to sail again.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to sail again; to sail a particular route or voyage again.
Primarily a literal verb meaning to undertake a sailing journey a second or subsequent time. It can also be used figuratively to suggest repeating a process or journey in a similar manner.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No discernible difference due to extreme rarity in both varieties.
Connotations
Historical, literary, or deliberately old-fashioned.
Frequency
Equally obscure and unused in both British and American English. It might appear slightly more probable in British maritime historical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “resail” in a Sentence
[NP] resail[NP] resail [NP] (e.g., the ocean)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “resail” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old captain longed to resail the transatlantic route of his youth.
- After repairs, the clipper was ready to resail.
American English
- They hoped to resail the path of the original settlers next summer.
- The documentary team planned to resail the historic migration route.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical maritime studies or philological analysis of obsolete words.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Potentially in historical naval logs or sailing chronicles.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “resail”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “resail”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “resail”
- Using it as a synonym for 'reset' or 'reassail' (to attack again). Misspelling as 'resale' (selling again).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is extremely rare and considered archaic or obsolete in modern English.
No. That would be 'reassail'. 'Resail' only relates to sailing on water.
It is pronounced /riːˈseɪl/, with the stress on the second syllable, 'sail'.
Most would not recognize it immediately. Its meaning might be guessed from context (re- + sail), but it would sound unusual and old-fashioned.
to sail again.
Resail is usually nautical, literary, archaic in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a ship's 'REturn SAIL' – to go back out to sea on the same path.
Conceptual Metaphor
REPETITION IS A SECOND VOYAGE (Life's journey is a sea voyage; to do something again is to sail that sea once more).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'resail' be most appropriately used?