sail against

sail against the wind

To work to achieve something amid challenging circumstances, such as staunch opposition. This nautical phrase refers to the difficulty of sailing in the opposite direction as the wind. I know that I am sailing against the wind to try get this unpopular law passed, but I am confident that it will ultimately make our town a safer place.
See also: sail, wind
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

sail against something

to operate a boat or ship, so as to move against the wind. It takes skill and training to sail against the wind. The huge cruise ship sailed against the wind all the way to St. Thomas.
See also: sail
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • sail against the wind
  • sail before the wind
  • steady as she goes
  • batten down the hatches
  • batten down the hatches, to
  • hatch
  • take (something) in tow
  • sail near the wind
  • near the wind
  • helm
References in periodicals archive
452 Italy invaded by Attila the Hun 1779 Admiral Horatio Nelson and Captain Thomas Hardy on HMS Foudroyant set sail against Spanish fleet.
Today's the day
But one can sail against the direction of the wind, through tacking.
Misreading the wisdom of the electorate
KARACHI -- The road ahead does not look rosy for Pakistani banks, which may have to sail against the tide.
Rate hike, economic slowdown likely to hit bank profits
She travelled to the Arctic with 'Sail Against Plastic' - a collaborative sailing expedition investigating and unveiling unseen pollution in the Arctic Ocean.
FROZEN WASTE
Claire Wallerstein, of Sail Against Plastic, said: "It was very sobering to see just how much plastic is making its way to this incredibly remote, appar ently pristine environment."
POLAR BEARS' DEADLY GAME; Plastic waste threat reaches Arctic
A steady breeze was forecast from the south west, which promised good racing, and the organisers scheduled each team to sail against each other twice in a league competition.
School kids sailing along; Galloway Activity Centre
For their time, they were the perfect type of vessels; so light, they could swiftly sail against the wind.
Rizal and Morga
In other matches planned for Saturday, league leaders KCB are favourites against Nondescripts at KCB Sports Club while Quins expect an easy sail against visiting Mombasa at the RFUEA.
Homeboyz battle unbeaten Kabras in Kenya Cup
External developments are often the X-factor that bring surprises to our projections of the economic future.Using the language of sailors, we can only sail against the prevailing wind which only nature controls.
External factors affecting the 2018 economy
However, Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative, which concluded recently, has set sail against the current.
Reforms in Saudi will have positive effect in Arab world
"Get those entries in, I want to sail against the best multi competition I can.
Northern seabbatical: after record participation in all three major tropical regattas last year, the entries are rolling in for the most enjoyable way of escaping the chill winds of late winter in the southern capitals
FORMER British paratrooper Chay Blyth completed the first solo round-the-world sail against prevailing winds in 292 days.
1971 ON THIS DAY august
The campaign was only launched last month and this was their first competitive sail against the six other members of the Race fleet.
Abu Dhabi team ready for aACAyEverest' of sailing
Andrade is also correct that sailing in the Mediterranean, and up the coasts of Africa and in the Atlantic, required ships that could effectively sail against the wind.
An accelerating divergence?
The government has to sail against the wind to overcome the causes behind the current state of affairs of NLC: major of which is said to be a freighter pretending defence agency as Gen.
IS NLC ON THE RESTRUCTURING ANVIL? - THE FREIGHTER HAS LOST BILLIONS OF RUPEES IN THE FINANCIAL SCAMS WITH THE CULPRITS GOING SCOT-FREE