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Meanings of shorten sail in English

We have no meanings for "shorten sail" in our records yet.
Usage of shorten sail in English
1
Just then the watch below was summoned on deck to shorten sail.
Peter Trawl; Or, The Adventures of a Whaler
2
A quarter of an hour later, the Poughkeepsie began to shorten sail.
Jack Tier; Or, The Florida Reef
3
Half a minute later, he called out-Standby to shorten sail, boys.
Jack Tier; Or, The Florida Reef
4
That's what we must do at present.-Allhands, shorten sail! he shouted.
Paddy Finn
5
The men scampered to shorten sail, then Morrison took a deep breath.
Colors Aloft!
6
If the wind holds, Captain, we might need to shorten sail.
In the King's name
7
The exertion of all hands was indeed required to shorten sail.
Will Weatherhelm: The Yarn of an Old Sailor
8
Peek, run forward and rouse up the blacks and Frenchmen to shorten sail.
From Powder Monkey to Admiral: A Story of Naval Adventure
9
The seamen were at their stations to trim or shorten sail.
Ronald Morton; or, the Fire Ships: A Story of the Last Naval War
10
The captain said we ought to shorten sail anyway, out of common prudence.
A Tramp Abroad
11
The lugger had twice to shorten sail, or she would have run ahead.
The Rival Crusoes
12
On this hint, Spike turned the hands up, and began to shorten sail.
Jack Tier; Or, The Florida Reef
13
We consequently had to shorten sail to keep abreast of her.
A Voyage round the World / A book for boys
14
On a sudden he sang out sharply, All hands, shorten sail!
Taking Tales: Instructive and Entertaining Reading
15
The mates were at their stations ready to shorten sail.
The Two Supercargoes; Or, Adventures in Savage Africa
16
This made him order the crew aloft to shorten sail.
James Braithwaite, the Supercargo: The Story of his Adventures A...
This collocation consists of:
Shorten sail through the time
Shorten sail across language varieties
United Kingdom
Common