press of sail

Nothing is more probable than that she capsized and went down, while carrying a press of sail to escape her pursuers.

To rush with violence and noise, as a ship under a press of sail, before a free wind.

It was now blowing half a gale of wind, and over a three or four knot tide, the old vessel was staggering along under a press of sail she had never felt before.

Having left Latitude Bay, we stood off until midnight, and then in shore again, carrying a press of sail all the time, in order to 'hold our own' against our old enemy, the current.

Here was the bark, cutting through the water at a spanking rate; there the larger galleon, speeding after her under press of sail, and two other vessels equally large coming up from the south.