sally
UK[ˈsæli]US[ˈsæli]
n
A sudden attack made from a place that is being defended.
n
A short, lively journey or trip.
n
A clever or witty remark.
v
To make a sudden attack from a defended position.
v
To set out on a short, lively trip.
Etymology
The word 'sally' entered English in the 16th century from the French word 'saillie', which means 'a rushing forth' or 'an attack'. This French term is the noun form of the verb 'saillir', meaning 'to leap or rush forward', which itself derives from the Latin verb 'salire', meaning 'to leap'. The semantic journey is direct: from the physical act of leaping forward, to a military sortie, and finally extending metaphorically to a witty remark that leaps forth in conversation or a brief, energetic excursion.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword from French. It does not contain separable, productive morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The garrison made a daring sally to break the enemy's siege.
We decided to go for a sally into the countryside to enjoy the afternoon.
Her quick sally left everyone at the dinner table laughing.