pleō (to sail) · Rightly

Meaning

Usually translated “sailing”, “when were sailing” and “we were sailing”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated

sailing 3
when were sailing 1
we were sailing 1
to sail 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most

Acts 4
Luke 1
Revelation 1

3 books in all.

Related words

Explore in Scripture

Acts 21:3Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.
Acts 27:2And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
Acts 27:6And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
Acts 27:24Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Revelation 18:17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Greek dictionary

πλέω pleō · to sail

πλέω [in LXX, before εἰς, Jon.1.3 (בּוֹא), I Est.4:23, Isa.42:10; before ἐπί, 4Ma.7:3; with accusative (poët.), Sir.43:24, 1Ma.13:29 (cf. Act.27:2, Rec.) * ;] to sail: Luk.8:23, Act.27:24; before εἰς, Act.21:3 27:2, 6; ἐπί, Rev.18:17 (cf. ἀπό-, δια-, ἐκ-, κατα-, παρα-, ὑπο-πλέω).† (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “sail” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

SAIL, noun

[Latin sal, salt.]

In navigation, a spread of canvas, or an assemblage of several breadths of canvas, [or some substitute for it, ] sewed together with a double seam at the borders, and edged with a cord called the bolt-rope, to be extended on the masts or yards for receiving the impulse of wind by which a ship is driven.
In poetry, wings.
A ship or other vessel; used in the singular for a single ship, or as a collective name for many.
To strike sail to lower the sails suddenly, as in saluting or in sudden gusts of wind.

All definitions and other forms of “sail”

To bate show or pomp.

SAIL, verb intransitive

To be impelled or driven forward by the action of wind upon sails, as a ship on water.
To be conveyed in a vessel on water; to pass by water.
To swim.
To set sail; to begin a voyage.
To be carried in the air, as a balloon.
To pass smoothly along.
To fly without striking with the wings.

SAIL, verb transitive

To pass or move upon in a ship, by means of sails.
To fly through

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.