FromMiddle Englishsaly, fromOld Englishsaliġ,sealh(“willow”). More atsallow.
sally (pluralsallies)
- Awillow.
- Anytree thatresembles awillow.
- Anobject made from thewood of awillow.
tree that looks like a willow
Translations to be checked
Borrowed fromFrenchsaillie, fromsailli, the past participle of the verbsaillir(“to leap forth”), itself fromLatinsalīre(“to leap”).
sally (pluralsallies)
- Asortie of troops from a besieged place against an enemy.
1596, Philippe de Commynes,The historie of Philip de Commines Knight, Lord of Argenton[1], London: Ar. Hatfield, pages50-51:The rest of his horsemen the Duke sent to his campe, bicause they heard a great noise there, and doubted the enimiessally, and indeede they had issued foorth thrise, but were alwaies repulsed, especially through the valiantns of the English men that the Duke left there behind him [...]
1689, George Walker,A true account of the siege of London-Derry by the Reverend Mr. George Walker[2], London, page24:The besieged made anotherSally, and killed several of the Enemy at Penyburn-Hill, but were forced to Retreat, being pressed by the Enemies Horse, who charged us on all sides.
- A suddenrushing forth.
Flocks of these birds stir up flying insects, which can then be picked off in quicksallies.
- (figuratively) Awitty statement orquip, usually at the expense of one'sinterlocutor.
1837,L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The First Doubt”, inEthel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London:Henry Colburn, […],→OCLC,page39:Till then she had never formed an idea of one so gifted and so charming. She listened with astonishment to her companion's gaysallies, and answers, as piquant as they were ready.
2012 April 26, Tasha Robinson, “Film: Reviews: The Pirates! Band Of Misfits”, inThe Onion AV Club[3]:The stakes are low and the story beats are incidental amid the rush of largely mild visual gags and verbalsallies like “Blood Island! So called because it’s the exact shape of some blood!”
- Anexcursion or side trip.
a.1705,John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, inPosthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published1706,→OCLC:Everyone shall know a country better that makes oftensallies into it, and traverses it up and down, than he that[…] goes still round in the same track.
- Atufted woollen part of abellrope, used to provide grip when ringing a bell.
- salient(cognate; both of these military terms come from a verb meaning "to leap forth", but in different ways)
tufted woollen part of a bellrope
sally (third-person singular simple presentsallies,present participlesallying,simple past and past participlesallied)
- (intransitive) To make a sudden attack (e.g. on an enemy from a defended position).
The troopssallied in desperation.
A feeding strategy of some birds is tosally out from a perch to snatch an insect and then returning to the same or a different perch.
- (intransitive) To set out on an excursion; venture; depart (often followed by "forth").
1876,The Shamrock, volume14:So I tucked my violin under my arm, andsallied out after the old budgy ragman, determined to ease him of his load at the very first lonesome corner I could track him to.
1942 July-August, “The Country Branch”, inRailway Magazine, page194:Adverse comment begins with uncomplimentary observations on the somewhat harder seats, then reaches a crescendo when it is discovered that the perverse and unhurried train is actually going to wait for another connection which is running late, instead ofsallying forth at once for the benefit of those already on board and leaving latecomers stranded.
2007 September 30, Andrew Salmon, “Dogfights and daring in Korea's deep blue yonder”, inSouth China Morning Post[4],→ISSN,→OCLC, archived fromthe original on03 March 2024, Latest:Along the Manchurian frontier was a 160km strip of land the US pilots dubbed 'MiG Alley'. Beyond it lay the North Korean, Chinese and Russian squadrons. From those airbases, MiGssallied forth to attack the bombers striking North Korea.
- (intransitive) Toventure off the beaten path.
to set out on an excursion
to venture off the beaten path
Fromsalvation +-y.
sally (pluralsallies)
- (New Zealand, slang) A member of theSalvation Army.
Unknown.
sally (pluralsallies)
- A kind ofstonefly.
- Awren.
(Thisetymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at theEtymology scriptorium.)
sally
- (slang, drugs, Canada,US) Thecrystalline orpowderedform ofMDA.
