SALLY

sally, sallying forth

(noun) a venture off the beaten path; β€œa sally into the wide world beyond his home”

sortie, sally

(noun) a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position

wisecrack, crack, sally, quip

(noun) witty remark

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Proper noun

Sally

A diminutive of the female given name Sarah, also used as a formal given name.

(British) A nickname for the Salvation Army

Anagrams

• Sylla, lylas, y'all's

Etymology 1

Noun

sally (plural sallies)

A willow

Any tree that looks like a willow

An object made from the above trees' wood

Etymology 2

Noun

sally (plural sallies)

A sortie of troops from a besieged place against an enemy.

A sudden rushing forth.

(figuratively) A witty statement or quip, usually at the expense of one's interlocutor.

An excursion or side trip.

A tufted woollen part of a bellrope, used to provide grip when ringing a bell.

Verb

sally (third-person singular simple present sallies, present participle sallying, simple past and past participle sallied)

(intransitive) To make a sudden attack (e.g. on an enemy from a defended position).

(intransitive) To set out on an excursion; venture; depart (often followed by "forth.")

(intransitive) To venture off the beaten path.

Etymology 3

Noun

sally (plural sallies)

(New Zealand, slang) A member of the Salvation Army.

Synonyms

• Salvo

Etymology 4

Noun

sally (plural sallies)

A kind of stonefly.

A wren.

Anagrams

• Sylla, lylas, y'all's

Source: Wiktionary


Sal"ly, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sallied; p. pr. & vb. n. Sallying.] Etym: [F. saillir, fr. L. salire to leap, spring, akin to gr. Sallient, Assail, Assault, Exult, Insult, Saltation, Saltire.]

Definition: To leap or rush out; to burst forth; to issue suddenly; as a body of troops from a fortified place to attack besiegers; to make a sally. They break the truce, and sally out by night. Dryden. The foe retires, -- she heads the sallying host. Byron.

Sal"ly, n.; pl. Sallies. Etym: [F. saillie, fr. sailir. See Sally, v.]

1. A leaping forth; a darting; a spring.

2. A rushing or bursting forth; a quick issue; a sudden eruption; specifically, an issuing of troops from a place besieged to attack the besiegers; a sortie. Sallies were made by the Spaniards, but they were beaten in with loss. Bacon.

3. An excursion from the usual track; range; digression; deviation. Every one shall know a country better that makes often sallies into it, and traverses it up and down, than he that . . . goes still round in the same track. Locke.

4. A flight of fancy, liveliness, wit, or the like; a flashing forth of a quick and active mind. The unaffected mirth with which she enjoyed his sallies. Sir W. Scott.

5. Transgression of the limits of soberness or steadiness; act of levity; wild gayety; frolic; escapade. The excursion was esteemed but a sally of youth. Sir H. Wotton. Sally port. (a) (Fort.) A postern gate, or a passage underground, from the inner to the outer works, to afford free egress for troops in a sortie. (b) (Naval) A large port on each quarter of a fireship, for the escape of the men into boats when the train is fired; a large port in an old-fashioned three-decker or a large modern ironclad.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

18 April 2025

GROIN

(noun) the crease at the junction of the inner part of the thigh with the trunk together with the adjacent region and often including the external genitals


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