fill away
C1 neutral inseparable intransitive
In simple words
To let the wind into the sails and get the boat moving.
Literal meaning: To fill the sails and sail away.
Meanings
1 C1 neutral
In sailing, to steer so that the sails fill with wind, allowing the boat to pick up speed and move forward.
"After tacking through the headland, the crew filled away and set a course for the open sea."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
A nautical term used by sailors. Not commonly encountered outside sailing or maritime literature. May also appear in older texts describing ships setting off under full sail.
Commonly used with
sails vessel ship breeze wind course
Forms
Base
fill away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fills away
he/she/it
Past simple
filled away
yesterday
Past participle
filled away
have + pp
-ing form
filling away
continuous
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