…And unmoored souls may drift on stranger tides
Than those men know of, and be overthrown
By winds that would not even stir a hair…— William Ashbless
Pirates and sailors have developed a particular lingo and turn of phrase. Though not an exhaustive list, here are some common examples.
Proverbs
A smooth sea never a pirate made.
Any ship with two captains is bound to sink.
Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Embark with the devils and ye must sail with them.
If you can’t tie a knot, tie a lot.
If you want to drown yourself, don't torture yourself with shallow water.
It's better to swim in the sea below, than to swing in the air and feed the crow.
May your blade always be wet, and powder dry.
Not all treasure is silver and gold.
The seas and the weathers are what is; your vessels adapt to them or sink.
Waves will rise on silent water.
Sayings
Ahoy:
Hello.
Avast Ye:
A command meaning pay attention or listen.
Aye, Aye:
Yes, I understand.
Crack Jenny’s Teacup:
Term for spending the night with a prostitute.
Hang the Jib:
To pout or frown.
Hearties:
Friends, shipmates, or comrades.
Shiver Me Timbers:
An exclamation of surprise.
Take in the Laundry:
Reef the sails and prepare for a storm.
What Maggot's Burrowing Under Your Periwig?:
WHat's irking you?
You've the Tongue of Some Fouled Scupper:
You have a filthy mouth.
Terms
Ballast:
Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a ship to enhance stability.
Batten Down the Hatches:
When everything on a ship is tied down to prepare for an approaching storm or battle.
Beam:
The width of a ship.
Belay:
An order to stop doing something, or to fasten a rope about something to secure it.
Booty:
Refers to any ill-gotten goods swiped from another party.
Careen:
The act of beaching a ship to caulk, repair and clean its hull.
Clap of Thunder:
A strong alcoholic beverage, usually referring to a shot.
Come About:
To change direction of a ship’s heading.
Doldrums:
A period or place with no or little wind. For sailing ships this means zero movement speed.
Doubloons:
Types of gold coins.
Draft:
The term used to describe how deep the water must be for a ship to be able to sail in it. A deeper draft means the water must be deeper otherwise the ship might run aground.
Flotsam:
Floating debris left after a shipwreck.
Heading:
The direction a ship is currently facing.
Hoist the Main Sails:
Unfurl and set in place the main sails of a ship.
Hornswaggle:
To swindle something, usually money, out of someone else.
Jetsam:
Debris or cargo that has been thrown from a ship.
Landlubber:
Someone without sailing ability.
List:
The angle of a ship to the water, if too severe the ship might roll over and capsize.
Marooned:
To be abandoned with no food, drink or possessions.
Old Salt:
Experienced pirate or sailor.
Parley:
To talk or negotiate a truce typically between enemies.
Privateer:
A privately owned ship commissioned by an organisation or national power to take certain actions.
Run a Rig:
Play a joke on someone.
Tacking:
The zig-zag pattern a ship uses to propel itself forward, when sailing against the wind.
Three Sheets to the Wind:
Someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly drunk, and four sheets is passed out..
Walk the Plank:
Prisoners of piratical crews are sometimes made to walk to the edge of the Gangplank and then jump off into the open water and inevitably their death by drowning.
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