sally

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sally1

▶noun (pl. sallies)

• 1 a sortie.

• 2 a witty or lively retort.

▶verb (sallies, sallying, sallied) make a sortie; set forth.

– origin ME: from Fr. saillie, fem. past part. (used as n.) of saillir ‘come or jut out’, from OFr. salir ‘to leap’, from L. salire.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sally2

▶noun (pl. sallies) the part of a bell rope that has coloured wool woven into it to provide a grip for the bell-ringer's hands.

– origin C17 (denoting the first movement of a bell when set for ringing): perh. from sally1 in the sense ‘leaping motion’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sally3 (also sallee)

▶noun (pl. sallies or sallees) Austral. an acacia or eucalyptus that resembles a willow.

– origin C19: dial. var. of sallow2.