sally Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun witty remark
wisecrack; quip; crack.
noun a military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position
sortie.
noun a venture off the beaten path
sallying forth.
- a sally into the wide world beyond his home

F. saillir, fr. L. salire to leap, spring, akin to gr. cf. Skr. to go, to flow. Cf. Sallient, Assail, Assault, Exult, Insult, Saltation, Saltire.

imperfect & past participle Sallied ; present participle & verbal noun 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. Dryden.

The foe retires, -- she heads the sallying host. Byron.

F. saillie, fr. sailir. See Sally, v.

plural Sallies

A leaping forth; a darting; a spring.
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. Bacon.
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. Locke.
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. Sir W. Scott.
Transgression of the limits of soberness or steadiness; act of levity; wild gayety; frolic; escapade.
The excursion was esteemed but a sally of youth. Sir H. Wotton.