Pirate Dictionary

[Barbados Sam]

Avast me hearties. Whilst perusin' tha gift shop at tha San Diego Maritime Museum, I comes across a fun lil' book called The Pirate's Dictionary (by Terry Breverton). Me thinks it may be fun ta use this 'ere thread ta list some piratey phrases from time ta time an' give thar meanin's. Here be tha first listin'....

ABOVE BOARD: One origin of this phrase is that pirates hid "below board" if they were sneaking up on an unsuspecting merchantman. Pirate ships had up to 12 times the crew of an equivalent trading ship. If all the crew were ABOVE BOARD, all was fair and square.

[Rumba Rue]

Hey nifty! I'd like to see some more!

[Patrick Hand]

A Pyrate Dictionary.... wouldn't that be like the Pyrate Keyboard... everything listed under ... aaaaarrrrrr.

Hey... I'm only on my second cupppa coffee.......

[Barbados Sam]

ALOOF: On a lee shore, the order "keep aloof" meant to keep the ship's head nearer to the wind to prevent the vessel being driven to the shore. Hence the modern expression to "keep aloof" means to "keep away from" oor "keep your distance".

[Lady Seahawke]

Hey, I got that book an excellent at that.

[Captain Jim]

I ran accross the usage of "Filibuster" in the context of pyracy and, being of curious nature, looked up the etymology, to wit:

fil•i•bus•ter (fĭl'ə-bŭs'tər) n.

1.

a. The use of obstructionist tactics, especially prolonged speechmaking, for the purpose of delaying legislative action.

b. An instance of the use of this delaying tactic.

2. An adventurer who engages in a private military action in a foreign country.

v., -tered, -ter•ing, -ters.

v.intr.

1. To use obstructionist tactics in a legislative body.

2. To take part in a private military action in a foreign country. v.tr.

To use a filibuster against (a legislative measure, for example).

[From Spanish filibustero, freebooter, from French flibustier, from Dutch vrijbuiter, pirate. See freebooter.]

So it would seem that pyracy lends us a word for political wrangling by pirating the floor debate.

I posted in this thread some time back under A pyrate by any other name.

[Barbados Sam]

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES: The hatches in the deck allowed crew and cargo to be transported below board. A batten is the wooden strip which secures tarpaulins over the wooden boards which cover the hatches, to prevent rain and sea water getting in when bad weather approaches. Thus we "batten down the hatches" when we expect an adverse situation.

[Duchess]

The Devil (to pay and no pitch hot)-

The devil was particularly difficult seam between decks to seal (or pack) with pitch. To pay the devil was to work very hard and seal the seam. So the whole thing means there is a very difficult task to accomplish and you haven't the means to do it.

[Barbados Sam]

BIGWIG: Centuries ago, wearing wigs was high fashion. The richer the person, the more wigs he had. The more important you thought you were, the longer and bigger the wig, so soon a lot of people began to wear these full-length wigs, such as naval captains and admirals. As a result, a law was passed in England declaring that only nobility, judges, and bishops could wear full-length wigs and they became known as "big wigs". Incidentally, the phrase "to pull the wool over one's eyes" refers to the wool used on the wigs. Street robbers would pull the wig down over the victim's eyes to confuse him and make their getaway.

[Barbados Sam]

BITE THE BULLET: Men suffering the cat-o-nine-tails were given a bullet to bite on to stop them from screaming. If they did "sing out", they were cruelly called a "nightingale".

[oderlesseye]

I think I read that " shiver me timbers" is in fact not a pirate term..

Is it list in that book ya got there Sam ?

[Barbados Sam]

I think I read that " shiver me timbers" is in fact not a pirate term..

Is it list in that book ya got there Sam ?

Now lad...don't be gettin' impatient...I ain't got to tha S's yet But ye did spike me curiousity, soz fer ye I'll make an exception....

SHIVER ME TIMBERS: An exclamation of surprise, probably coming from the feeling when a wooden ship hit any rocks and the ship vibrated and creaked. Possibly only used in books and articles rather than by seafarers.

[Barbados Sam]

CHEW THE FAT: Meat was preserved in brine in wooden casks, and a chemical reaction meant that salt-hardened fat became attached to the walls of the barrel. The cook might scrape this and give it to the crew while they were waiting to eat. They would "chew the fat" and make small talk before their meal.

[Barbados Sam]

CHOCK-FULL: A chock is a wooden wedge used to stabalize cargo in the hold, and "chock-full" meant that the hold was filled to capacity.

[Barbados Sam]

CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH: Merchant ships were issued with a "Bill of Health" document to notify that they had suffered from no epidemic or infection at time of departure.

[Barbados Sam]

CLEAN SLATE: Courses, distances and tacks were recorded on a log slate. If there had been no problems, the new watch would disregard the old record and "start off with a clean slate"

[Barbados Sam]

DEEP SIX: This term has come to mean to descard or throw out something. It comes from the custom of ensuring that any body was only committed to the deep if the water was six fathoms dep or more.

[Barbados Sam]

HAND OVER FIST: Seamen used to climb the rigging or ropes, and haul in or let out sails "hand over hand". A fast and skilful sailor was highly valued. Because one hand always had to be clenched to a rope, the term changed to "hand over fist". Someone who accumulated yardage very quickly was said to be climbing "hand over fist". The same term was applied to the pursuit of fincancial success in the USA, and when one gains money "hand over fist".

[Barbados Sam]

JURY RIG: The "jury mast" is a 17th century term, when a temporary mast is made from any available spar after the mast has broken. The origins may come from "injury mast" or from the Old French "ajurie" meaning help or relief. "Jury Rigged" came to mean assembled in a makeshift manner.

[Mad Grace Oakum]

It's interesting how so many words we commonly use originated from pirates and sailors. I may even buy meself a copy of that book!

*wonders when the next word will be posted*

[Silkie McDonough]

Very interesting. I'd be happy to see more.

[The Doctor]

This one's not necessarily nautical in nature, but it's interesting.

Pulling Your Leg

Up until 1780, death by hanging in England was performed by slipping the noose around the condemned's neck and hauling them into the air. The neck was not broken as in modern practice. In order to speed the victim's passing, a friend or loved one would grab the condemned's legs and pull, adding their weight, quickening the strangulation process. It was the last act of compassion that could be given to the dying person.

[Silkie McDonough]

How did that evolve into todays meaning?

[The Doctor]

You've got me. It's gone from describing an act of mercy to revealing a prank. William S. Burroughs wrote that "language is a virus from Outer Space." Every virus has it's oddball mutation. Perhaps this is one of those cases.

[Barbados Sam]

KNOCK OFF: Galleys used to be rowed to the rhythm of a hammer hitting a wooden block. When the hammer or mallet ceased hitting, the galley slaves could rest. Today, when you reach the end of your shift at work, you "knock off" working.