Bitter end – meaning
the absolute end of something. The cleat or post where the anchor cable was
tied was called the “bitt” or the “bitts.” So when an anchor was let out as far
as possible, and had reached the extreme end of its tether, it had reached the
“bitter end.”
Clean bill of health –
meaning a certification that someone is healthy. This comes from a paper issued
to a ship’s captain at the beginning of a voyage, proving that the vessel had
not come from a port infected by plague or other dangerous diseases. Proof that
the ship was unlikely to carry disease made it more likely to be welcomed in a
new port.
Clean slate – meaning
a new beginning. An officer of the watch made notations in chalk on a piece of
slate near the ships wheel, describing the ship’s speed and direction. At the
end of each watch, the entries would be written permanently in the ship’s log,
and the slate would be wiped clean for the next officer’s notations.
Down the hatch – meaning
swallowing something quickly. On sailing
ships, cargo was lowered down into a hatch, a large opening in the deck, for
storage in the hold. The open hatch seemed to swallow up the goods, much as a
thirsty sailor might swallow a mug of beer.
First rate – meaning
the very highest quality. British ships were rated according to size and
armament. Smaller ships – “fifth rates” might carry only ten cannons, and have
only a small budget for supplies and almost nothing aboard that was not
absolutely necessary, while a “first rate” would carry over a hundred cannons
and have a correspondingly large budget for supplies and luxuries.
Footloose – meaning
not having any attachments. The top of a sail is the “head” and the bottom is
the “foot.” A sail that is footloose dances in the wind, doing whatever it
pleases.
Know the ropes – meaning
to be familiar with all the aspects of something. A sailing-era ship had
literally miles of ropes strung around it, holding sails, steadying masts,
providing handholds and securing loose objects. Each rope had a particular
name, and each knot in these ropes had a specific use. “Knowing the ropes” of a
sailing ship took at least a year of on-the-job training.
Not enough room to swing
a cat – meaning too crowded for working.
On board ship, the “cat” was the whip used for punishment, a
cat-o-nine-tails. Whippings were done with all the crew on deck to see. Given
the large number of crew, and the small space on deck, if the sailors crowded
too close, there might be not enough room to swing the “cat.”
Pipe down – meaning
to become quiet. The last signal aboard a ship was when the bosun used a
special whistle to “pipe the crew down,” signaling them to go below and be
quiet for sleep.
Press into service – meaning
to force someone or something to do a job they don’t usually do. The British
navy always needed more sailors than volunteered. To make up the difference,
they sent out officials to “impress” non-sailors into the Navy, by hauling them
off to the ship in chains if necessary. The term “impress” was quickly
shortened to “press” and the groups forcing the impressions were a “press
gang,” who “pressed” civilians into the service.
Scuttlebutt – Meaning
gossip. A butt was a barrel containing liquid. To “scuttle” meant to drill or
knock a hole in something. On board a ship, a scuttled butt was a container of
water, opened for drinking. As folks gathered around the sailing-era equivalent
of a water cooler, they traded gossip.
Showing your true
colors – meaning to reveal your actual nature. “Colors” were naval slang
for a national flag. Often warships carried the flags of many nations, and
would fly a flag not their own in order to deceive an enemy ship. Just before
battle was joined, the attacking ship would fly its true colors, its actual
national flag, revealing its origin and intention to attack.
Three sheets to the
wind – meaning drunk. Most people would think a “sheet” referred to a sail,
but in fact “sheets” are the rope which hold a sail in place. A sail with three
sheets flapping in the wind would be wildly out of control.
Touch and go – meaning
that a chance for something is possible but very uncertain. A ship could be badly damaged if its bottom
struck a sand bar or a rock. But it was possible for the ship to touch briefly
on a sandbar, and then go on – a very dangerous situation.
Turning a blind eye –
meaning to deliberately ignore something. Horatio Nelson was England’s
greatest naval hero and perhaps it’s bravest, being seriously wounded and
partially blinded in battle. A much more timid commander once signaled Nelson was to
break off fighting during the Battle of Copenhagen. Nelson famously held the
spyglass to his blind eye, told his subordinates “I see no signal,” and continued
to fight, winning the battle an hour later.
"By and large" is another one.
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!!!.... HAPPY TO WIN MY EX-BOYFRIEND BACK.. USA.. THANKS ((R.BUCKLER11@GMAIL.COM)),,,,,,
ReplyDelete