Did you know that was a nautical expression? The rest of this blog is a list of nautical expressions that have crossed over into general usage.
The cat is out of the bag - The Cat’o’nine-tails was normally kept in a cloth bag
Three sheets to the wind - sheets are ropes; if they are loose in the wind then the boat is out of control
No room to swing a cat - too many people on deck for a whipping
By and large - Sailing “by” is done when there is little wind, “large” when you run free with it
The whole nine yards - all sails set
Slush fund - literally slushy food saved by the ship’s cook
Pooped - smothered in a mass of breaking water
Taken aback - when the sails press against the mast and progress suddenly stops
Go by the board - be thrown overboard
Make headway - against a tide or current
Batten down the hatches - a batten is a piece of wood to cover a hatch
Jury rigged - a jury mast is a temporary one cobbled together when the proper one is lost
At loggerheads - Iron balls on handles which are heated and then used to melt tar with no risk of fire. Used for sparring.
Crew cut - short hair for sailors
Skyscraper - A triangular sail at the very top of the mast
Freeze the balls of off a brass monkey - a monkey is a cannon ball holder
Field day - a day set aside for cleaning the ship
Water-logged - so full of water as to be unmanageable
Pipe down - The Bosun’s pipe call to say those not on duty can go below
Bail out
Catch my drift
Clear the decks
Close quarters
Dog’s body
Down the hatch
Give leeway
Hit the decks
In the doldrums
Loose cannon
Make a clean sweep
Show your true colours
Cheers, Tom.
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