sally
C2Formal, Literary. Uncommon in casual conversation except in set phrases like 'sally forth'.
Definition
Meaning
A sudden, energetic, and usually brief outward movement or action, often in the context of a military attack from a defensive position or a witty, spirited remark.
An excursion or a short journey, often impulsive or made for pleasure; a brief, sudden, and spirited action or outburst, whether physical or verbal; a part of a bell tower that moves when the bell is rung (the sally of a bell rope).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word combines notions of suddenness, energy, and brevity. As a noun, it can be literal (military) or figurative (verbal/witty remark). As a verb ('to sally forth/out'), it implies a spirited, determined departure, often into something challenging or unknown.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or core usage. Both use it in similar literary and historical contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, the word carries a somewhat old-fashioned, literary, or historical flavour, evoking images of knights, castles, or 18th/19th-century literature.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects. Perhaps slightly more likely to be encountered in British historical writing due to the UK's longer history of castle sieges, but this is marginal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Noun] made a sally (against/from/into [place])[Subject] sallied forth/outa sally of [wit/humour]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sally forth”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Almost never used. Highly figurative: 'The company sallied forth into the new market.' (literary/humorous tone)
Academic
Used in historical/military studies: 'The garrison made several sallies to disrupt the siege lines.' Also in literary analysis: 'The character's verbal sallies reveal her sharp intellect.'
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used humorously or metaphorically: 'I'll sally forth to the supermarket.'
Technical
Specific meaning in campanology (bell-ringing): the sally is the fluffy, coloured part of a bell rope held by the ringer.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The knights sallied forth from the castle at dawn.
- We should sally out before the rain starts.
American English
- The troops sallied out to engage the enemy.
- Let's sally forth and find a good diner for breakfast.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- After lunch, we decided to sally forth into the town for some sightseeing.
- His humorous sally made everyone at the table laugh.
- The general ordered a sally to destroy the enemy's siege engines under cover of darkness.
- She was renowned for her sharp sallies in political debate.
- The beleaguered garrison made a desperate sally but was quickly repulsed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SALty sailor named SALly who makes a SUDden, energetic SALly from her ship to explore an island.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE/ARGUMENT/ENTERPRISE IS A MILITARY CAMPAIGN (e.g., 'sally forth into the world', 'a sally of wit').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with the name "Sally" (Салли).
- The Russian military term "вылазка" is a very close equivalent for the noun.
- The verb "to sally forth/out" is best translated as "выступить", "отправиться (бодро/решительно)", not simply "идти".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a common synonym for 'trip' or 'walk'. (Too strong/archaic)
- Confusing the noun and verb forms: 'He did a sally forth' (incorrect) vs. 'He sallied forth' (correct).
- Misspelling the past tense: 'sallied', not 'sallyed'.
Practice
Quiz
In the context of bell-ringing, what is a 'sally'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is quite rare and has a formal, literary, or historical feel. It is most commonly seen in the fixed phrase 'sally forth'.
Yes, but almost exclusively in the phrasal verb forms 'sally forth' or 'sally out', meaning to set out boldly or energetically.
They are near synonyms. 'Sally' strongly implies a sudden, brief departure from a defensive position. 'Foray' emphasizes an initial attempt or incursion into a new area, not necessarily from a defensive point.
Etymologically, no. The name Sally is a diminutive of Sarah. The word 'sally' (meaning a leap/attack) comes from the French 'saillie', from 'saillir' (to leap).