![]() ![]() Now the term is used in the sense of getting out of a bad situation such as selling the shares of a failing company.īamboozle: From the 17th century, it described the Spanish custom of hoisting false flags to deceive (bamboozle) enemies. This is used to describe someone who is traveling or driving very fast.īale out: To bale out means to remove water from a vessel. Thus 'tying up loose ends' indicates having done a complete job or having dealt with all the details.Īt a rate of knots: To go at top speed. These birds fly straight to the nearest land when released at sea thus indicating the direction of the nearest land was.Īt a loose end: A nautical term for a rope when unattached and therefore neglected or not doing its job. Before modern navigational systems existed, British vessels customarily carried a cage of crows. The most direct route from one place to another without detours. ![]() Today the word is used to describe a person who is distant or stands apart from the others.Īny port in a storm: When trouble struck at sea, seamen would go to the nearest to "any port in a storm." Now this phrase has entered our everyday language and is used when we have problems and any and all help is welcome.Īs the crow flies. A sailing vessel that could point higher to windward and hold its speed better than another was said to stand apart or to sail a-luff that later became aloof. The front part of the sail which meets the wind is called the luff. Today this expression is used to describe something that is "all done" or completed.Īloft: This comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ' alofts' meaning "on high." Now the word is commonly used in the nautical world to describe things overhead on a boat, on the mast or in the rigging.Īloof: A nautical order to keep the ship's head to the wind, thus to stay clear of a lee shore or some other quarter. Now the expression or its shortened form "at sea" is used to describe someone who is confused, bewildered and unable to understand.Īll hands on deck: A term used to tell all seamen to get to their stations or positions and prepare for action.Īll sewn up: Dead sailors were "all sewn up" in a bit of canvas with a weight attached to make sure that the corpse sank deep in the water. Adrift originates from the Middle English ' drifte' meaning to float.Īll at sea: Nautical expression to describe the condition of a vessel lost out of site of land. ![]() Ships are adrift when they are moved about at the will of the wind and tide. Now a common expression, "keeping abreast of a situation" means staying in touch with or keeping up with.Īdrift: Naval word for anyone or anything that cannot be found or has come undone. The ships that displayed the crew openly on the deck were thought to be honest merchant ships known as "above board".Ībreast: Meaning along side the beam of a ship. Some familiar words and phrases come from their use on the sea from commonly used words like overwhelm (from the English word meaning "to capsize") and casual (from the term "a casual" used to describe the wages paid to seamen between regular payments) to expressions like a "square meal" (from the square tray upon which the main meal of the day was served on early British warships) and "Please stand by" (an expression derived from the command for sailors to be ready).Ībove board: Pirates would often hide much of the crew below the deck. Many words and expressions originate from our relationship with the sea.
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