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3. sail close to the wind

sail close to the wind

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sail close to the wind

to take risks We thought she was sailing a bit close to the wind in her business deals, but she claimed everything was legal.

Usage notes: often refers to doing something that may not be legal or acceptable

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of sail close to the wind (to sail a boat as near as possible to the direction the wind is coming from)

See also: close, sail, wind

sail close to the wind

to do something that is dangerous or only just legal or acceptable

Usage notes: (often in continuous tenses)

I think she realized she was sailing a little too close to the wind and decided to tone down her criticism.

See also: close, sail, wind

sail close to the wind

Be on the verge of doing something illegal or improper, as in She was sailing pretty close to the wind when she called him a liar. This term alludes to the danger incurred when literally sailing too close to (that is, in the direction of) the wind. Its figurative use dates from the first half of the 1800s.

See also: close, sail, wind