▪ I. † ˈcross-sail, n. Obs.
[cross- 4.]
1. Naut. A square-sail, i.e. one placed across the breadth of the ship (not fore-and-aft); formerly the large mainsail so placed; also a vessel with square-sails.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. C. 102 Cachen vp þe crossayl, cables þay fasten. a 1618 Raleigh Invent. Shipping 30 Any Fleet of crosse sailes, with which they encounter. 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. ix. 40 A crosse saile cannot come neerer the wind than six points. |
2. pl. Sails (of a windmill) set cross-wise.
| 1612 Sturtevant Metallica (1854) 75 So a windmillne consisting..of all his essential parts besides his crosse sales is ineffectuall and not able to grinde corne. |
Hence † ˈcross-sailed a., ? having the cross-sail set, ready to sail.
| 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 36 Sens thou art crosse saylde, auale vnhappie booke. 1580 North Plutarch (1612) 439 Took ship, finding one crosse-sailed, bound towards Afrike. |
▪ II. † ˈcross-sail, v. Obs.
[cross- 6.]
intr. ? To sail across or over.
| 1564–78 W. Bullein Dial. agst. Pest. (1888) 29 A letter to a Marchaunte Venterer that was crossailed into Terra Florida. |