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You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Expression “Sally Forth” Come From and What Does the Phrase Mean?

Where Did the Expression “Sally Forth” Come From and What Does the Phrase Mean?

August 2, 2020 by Karen Hill

Today it implies less danger, but to “sally forth” was originally a military term meaning to suddenly rush forward.

The Latin derivation of sally is salire, meaning “to leap.”

Castles and fortresses had closely guarded openings in the walls designed for mounting a quick counterattack against a siege.

These were called sally ports, from which the defenders would vigorously rush, or sally forth, into battle.

So “sally forth” means to go forward with a new venture.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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