What is "drag sail"

Drag \Drag\, n. [See Drag, v. t., and cf. Dray a cart, and 1st Dredge.]

1. The act of dragging; anything which is dragged.

2. A net, or an apparatus, to be drawn along the bottom under water, as in fishing, searching for drowned persons, etc.

3. A kind of sledge for conveying heavy bodies; also, a kind of low car or handcart; as, a stone drag.

4. A heavy coach with seats on top; also, a heavy carriage. [Collog.]
   --Thackeray.

5. A heavy harrow, for breaking up ground.

6. 1. Anything towed in the water to retard a ship's progress, or to keep her head up to the wind; esp., a canvas bag with a hooped mouth, so used. See Drag sail (below).

   2. Also, a skid or shoe, for retarding the motion of a carriage wheel.

   3. Hence, anything that retards; a clog; an obstacle to progress or enjoyment.

      My lectures were only a pleasure to me, and no drag.
      --J. D. Forbes.

7. Motion affected with slowness and difficulty, as if clogged. ``Had a drag in his walk.'' -- Hazlitt.

8. (Founding) The bottom part of a flask or mold, the upper part being the cope.

9. (Masonry) A steel instrument for completing the dressing of soft stone.

10. (Marine Engin.) The difference between the speed of a screw steamer under sail and that of the screw when the ship outruns the screw; or between the propulsive effects of the different floats of a paddle wheel. See Citation under Drag, v. i., 3.

    Drag sail (Naut.), a sail or canvas rigged on a stout frame, to be dragged by a vessel through the water in order to keep her head to the wind or to prevent drifting; -- called also drift sail, drag sheet, drag anchor, sea anchor, floating anchor, etc.

    Drag twist (Mining), a spiral hook at the end of a rod for cleaning drilled holes.

n. (context nautical English) An alternative term for a sea anchor.