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Sally   /sˈæli/   Listen
noun
Sally  n.  (pl. sallies)  
1.
A leaping forth; a darting; a spring.
2.
A rushing or bursting forth; a quick issue; a sudden eruption; specifically, an issuing of troops from a place besieged to attack the besiegers; a sortie. "Sallies were made by the Spaniards, but they were beaten in with loss."
3.
An excursion from the usual track; range; digression; deviation. "Every one shall know a country better that makes often sallies into it, and traverses it up and down, than he that... goes still round in the same track."
4.
A flight of fancy, liveliness, wit, or the like; a flashing forth of a quick and active mind. "The unaffected mirth with which she enjoyed his sallies."
5.
Transgression of the limits of soberness or steadiness; act of levity; wild gayety; frolic; escapade. "The excursion was esteemed but a sally of youth."
Sally port.
(a)
(Fort.) A postern gate, or a passage underground, from the inner to the outer works, to afford free egress for troops in a sortie.
(b)
(Naval) A large port on each quarter of a fireship, for the escape of the men into boats when the train is fired; a large port in an old-fashioned three-decker or a large modern ironclad.



verb
Sally  v. i.  (past & past part. sallied; pres. part. sallying)  To leap or rush out; to burst forth; to issue suddenly; as a body of troops from a fortified place to attack besiegers; to make a sally. "They break the truce, and sally out by night." "The foe retires, she heads the sallying host."






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Sally" Quotes from Famous Books



... his followers, had taken shelter there; and being ill supplied with provisions, and even with water, he determined, by some vigorous blow, to prevent the necessity of submitting to the barbarous enemy. He made a sudden sally on the Danes before sun-rising; and taking them unprepared, he put them to rout, pursued them with great slaughter, killed Hubba himself; and got possession of the famous REAFEN, or enchanted standard, in which the Danes put great confidence [w]. It contained the figure of a raven, which had ...
— The History of England, Volume I • David Hume

... said Pyecroft. 'When we had studied the map till it fair spun, we decided to sally forth and creep for uncle by hand in the dark, dark night, an' present 'im with the rocking-horse. So ...
— A Diversity of Creatures • Rudyard Kipling

... who, like the Ghouls of the Mahometans, are believed to infest the vicinity of graveyards, or, like the dryads and hamadryads of the ancients, to frequent favourite forests and groves, and to inhabit particular trees, whence they sally out to seize on the passer by.[1] The Buddhist priests connive at demon worship because their efforts are ineffectual to suppress it, and the most orthodox Singhalese, whilst they confess its impropriety, are still driven to resort to it in ...
— Ceylon; an Account of the Island Physical, Historical, and • James Emerson Tennent

... were able to offer. The whole of the year 1859 was passed in practical inaction, but at its close the Taepings only retained possession of four towns, besides Nankin, on the Yangtse. It again became necessary for Chung Wang to sally forth and assume the offensive in the rear and on the line of supplies of the beleaguering imperialists. His main difficulty was in obtaining the consent of Tien Wang, who was at this time given over ...
— China • Demetrius Charles Boulger

... safety deposit vaults, don't you, Harriet?" At which sally they all laughed as they seated themselves around ...
— The Heart's Kingdom • Maria Thompson Daviess


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