strike sail

present singular third person strikes sail · participle present striking sail · past struck sail · participle past struck sail · archaic participle past rare stricken sail

1. archaicnauticalTo lower the sails (in preparation for dropping anchor, to salute or signal submission, in sudden gusts of wind, etc.).

   1627, John Donne, Sermon 24 in Fifty Sermons, London: M.F. et al., Volume 2, 1649, p. 202, […] a ship which hath struck Sail, will yet goe on with the winde it had before, for a while,

   4 more examples

   […] at the last, famine and other necessities, caused them in the ende to strike sayle and let fall anker.

   1568, André Thevet, translated by Thomas Hacket, The New Found World, or Antarctike, London: Thomas Hacket, Chapter, page 62

   It was accounted Treason, if any Ship whatsoëver had not acknowledged the Dominion of the King of England in his own Sea, by striking Sail:

   1652, John Selden, Of the Dominion or Ownership of the Sea, London, Book 2, Chapter 26, p. 402

   So many new unexpected accidents happen every hour, which no wit of man could foresee; that may make it necessary for us many times to depart from our former most advised resolutions: as the Mariner must strike sail again, (perhaps when he hath but newly hoyst it up,) if the winde and weather change.

   1656, Robert Sanderson, “Ad Populum”, in Twenty Sermons Formerly Preached, London: Henry Seile, page 408

   […] O friend, never strike sail to a fear. Come into port greatly, or sail with God the seas.

   1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Heroism”, in Essays, Boston: James Munroe, page 215

   Antonyms: hoist sail

2. figurativelyobsoleteTo acknowledge one's inferiority (to another person); to abate pretension.

   (obsolete)

   4 more examples

   O that the living Harry had the temper Of he, the worst of these three gentlemen! How many nobles then should hold their places That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!

   c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

   Let vaunting Knowledge now strike sail, And unto modest Ign’rance vail.

   1661, Joseph Glanvill, The Vanity of Dogmatizing, London: Henry Eversden

   […] do you think, Sir, that Mr. Ironsides, who has been well bred, a good Scholar, and a topping Wit, will ever strike Sail to a Fool[?]

   1713, John Arbuthnot, An Invitation to Peace: or, Toby’s Preliminaries to Nestor Ironsides, London: Mr. Lawrence, page 11

   I speak in the house of my friend as in my own, and strike sail to none.

   1822, Walter Scott, chapter 1, in The Pirate, volume 3, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable, page 8

   Synonyms: defer, vail