sail close to the wind
idiom
British
: to do something that is dangerous or that may be illegal or dishonest
The company was sailing close to the wind, but it's not clear if they were actually breaking the law.
Examples of sail close to the wind in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leicester continue to sail close to the wind with regards to PSR and are still in arbitration with the Premier League over the 2022-23 season, with the question of jurisdiction still an issue to be resolved.
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Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 4 Feb. 2025
At moments — or rather, for extended stretches — these vignettes sail close to the wind of sheer tedium, but there is method in the drabness.
—Giles Harvey, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023
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Rob Tanner, The Athletic, 4 Feb. 2025
At moments — or rather, for extended stretches — these vignettes sail close to the wind of sheer tedium, but there is method in the drabness.
—Giles Harvey, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023
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Cite this Entry
“Sail close to the wind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sail%20close%20to%20the%20wind. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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