Trim your sails
verb phrase
To adjust one's behavior or attitude to suit the situation.
After receiving negative feedback, he decided to trim his sails and be more considerate to his coworkers.
Often appears as...
- decide to trim your sails
- need to trim your sails
Usage tips
Idiomatic
verb phrase
To economize or reduce expenses.
With the economic downturn, many families have had to trim their sails just to get by.
Often appears as...
- have to trim your sails
- trim your sails to get by
Usage tips
Disapproving
Idiomatic
verb phrase
In sailing, to adjust the sails of a boat to make it more balanced or efficient.
Experienced sailors know how to trim their sails to navigate smoothly even during a storm.
Often appears as...
- expert sailors trim their sails
- trim your sails during storm
Usage tips
Technical
verb phrase
To adjust one's behavior or attitude to suit the situation.
After receiving negative feedback, he decided to trim his sails and be more considerate to his coworkers.
Often appears as...
- decide to trim your sails
- need to trim your sails
Usage tips
Idiomatic
verb phrase
To economize or reduce expenses.
With the economic downturn, many families have had to trim their sails just to get by.
Often appears as...
- have to trim your sails
- trim your sails to get by
Usage tips
Disapproving
Idiomatic
verb phrase
In sailing, to adjust the sails of a boat to make it more balanced or efficient.
Experienced sailors know how to trim their sails to navigate smoothly even during a storm.
Often appears as...
- expert sailors trim their sails
- trim your sails during storm
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Adapt Flexibly
The phrase suggests a smooth and strategic change in behavior, not an abrupt one.
When joining a new team, trim your sails to understand their workflow.
Pro Tip 2/3Social Context
Use the phrase when discussing social or workplace adjustments.
After the merger, employees needed to trim their sails to the new culture.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Changes
The changes implied are often about fine-tuning rather than complete changes.
The manager trimmed his sails by listening more to his team's ideas.
Pro Tip 1/3Adapt Flexibly
The phrase suggests a smooth and strategic change in behavior, not an abrupt one.
When joining a new team, trim your sails to understand their workflow.
Pro Tip 2/3Social Context
Use the phrase when discussing social or workplace adjustments.
After the merger, employees needed to trim their sails to the new culture.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Changes
The changes implied are often about fine-tuning rather than complete changes.
The manager trimmed his sails by listening more to his team's ideas.
Pro Tip 1/3Adapt Flexibly
The phrase suggests a smooth and strategic change in behavior, not an abrupt one.
When joining a new team, trim your sails to understand their workflow.
Pro Tip 2/3Social Context
Use the phrase when discussing social or workplace adjustments.
After the merger, employees needed to trim their sails to the new culture.
Pro Tip 3/3Subtle Changes
The changes implied are often about fine-tuning rather than complete changes.
The manager trimmed his sails by listening more to his team's ideas.
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