a:79:{i:3386;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"aa";s:5:"value";s:4:"2011";}i:3360;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:6:"action";s:5:"value";s:8:"editpost";}i:3417;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:13:"advanced_view";s:5:"value";s:1:"1";}i:3369;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:13:"autosavenonce";s:5:"value";s:10:"b6a823e0c3";}i:3367;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:10:"auto_draft";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3371;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"closedpostboxesnonce";s:5:"value";s:10:"359ffb4b40";}i:3418;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"comment_status";s:5:"value";s:4:"open";}i:3410;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:7:"content";s:5:"value";s:9411:"Many phrases that have been adopted into everyday use originate from seafaring - in particular from the days of sail. Virtually all of these are metaphorical and the original nautical meanings are now forgotten. That association of travel and metaphor is significant in that the word metaphor derives from ancient Greek for ‘to carry’ or ‘to travel’. The influence of other languages and other cultures is evident in many of the long list of English phrases that have nautical origins.

It is an undoubted fact that seafaring is also the source of more false etymology than any other sphere. This can be attributed to the attractiveness of the romantic image of horny-handed sailors singing shanties and living a hearty and rough life at sea. After all, it sounds plausible that ‘cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey’ comes from brass ship’s fittings and that POSH means ‘Port out, starboard home’, but neither of these is correct. CANOE, theCommittee to Ascribe a Naval Origin to Everything, doesn’t really exist, but the number of these folk myths makes it seem as though they do.

It is lucky for us, in our endeavors’ to distinguish truth from false- hood, that activities at sea have been scrupulously recorded over the centuries, in insurance records, newspaper accounts and, not least, in ships’ log books. The term log-book has an interesting derivation in itself. An early form of measuring a ship’s progress was by casting overboard a wooden board (the log) with a string attached. The rate at which the string was payed out as the ship moved away from the stationary log was measured by counting how long it took between knots in the string. These measurements were later transcribed into a book. Hence we get the term ‘log-book’ and also the name ‘knot’as the unit of speed at sea.

<strong><em>Over the Barrel</em></strong>
The most common method of punishment aboard ship was flogging. The unfor- tunate sailor was tied to a grating, mast or over a barrel. Kissing the gunner’s daughter was being tied over the barrel of a deck cannon whilst it was fired.

<strong><em>To Know the Ropes</em></strong>
There are miles rope in the rigging of a square rigged ship. The only way of keeping track of the function of all of these lines was to memorize (know) where they were located. It took an experienced seaman to know the ropes.

<strong><em>Dressing Down</em></strong>
Thin and worn sails were often treated with oil or wax to renew their effective- ness. This was called dressing down. An officer or sailor who was reprimanded or scolded received a dressing down.

<strong><em>Footloose</em></strong>
The bottom portion of a sail is called the foot. If it is not secured, it is footloose and it dances randomly in the wind. Also known for a sail with no boom.

<strong><em>First Rate</em></strong>
Implies excellence. From the sixteenth century until steam powered ships took over, British naval ships were rated as to the number of heavy cannon they carried. A ship of 100 or more guns was a First Rate line-of-battle ship. Second rates carried 90 to 98 guns; Third Rates, 64 to 89 guns; Fourth Rates, 50 to 60 guns. Frigates carrying 20 to 48 guns were fifth and sixth rated.

<strong><em>Pipe Down</em></strong>
Means stop talking and be quiet. The Pipe Down was the last signal from the Boson’s pipe each day which meant lights out and silence.

<strong><em>Feeling Blue</em></strong>
When a ship’s captain died during a voyage, his ship would return to port flying a blue flag and bearing a blue stripe on its hull. The term “feeling blue” signifies depression or sadness today.

<strong><em>Three Sheets to the Wind</em></strong>
A sheet is a rope line which controls the tension on corners of a square sail. If, on a three masted ship, the sheets of the three lower course sails are loose, the sails will flap and flutter and are said to be in the wind. A ship in this condition would stagger and wander aimlessly downwind acting much like a drunken sailor.

<strong><em>Pooped</em></strong>
The poop is the stern section of a ship. To be pooped is to be struck by a high, following sea or wave on the stern.

<strong><em>As the Crow Flies</em></strong>
When lost or unsure of their position in coastal waters, ships would re- lease a caged crow. The crow would fly straight towards the nearest land thus giving the vessel some sort of a navigational fix. The tallest lookout platform on a ship came to be known as the crow’s nest.

<strong><em>Cut and Run</em></strong>
If a smaller ship at anchor was discovered by a larger enemy vessel, the smaller ship might decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and so would order the crew to cut the anchor cable and sail off in a hurry.

<strong><em>The Bitter End</em></strong>
The end of an anchor cable is fastened to the bits at the ship’s bow. If all of the anchor cable has been paid out you have come to the bitter end.

Toe the Line
When called to line up at attention, the ship’s crew would form up with their toes touching a seam in the deck planking.

Bear Down
To sail downwind rapidly towards another ship or landmark.

<em><strong>Under the Weather</strong></em>
If a crewman is standing watch on the weather side of the bow, he will be subject to the constant beating of the sea and the ocean spray. He will be under the weather.

<em><strong>Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea</strong></em>
The devil seam was the curved seam in the deck planking closest to the side of the ship and next to the scupper gutters. If a sailor were hanging off the side in a boatswains chair you would be between the devil and the deep blue sea.

<em><strong>The Devil to Pay</strong></em>
To pay the deck seams meant to seal them with tar. The devil seam was the most difficult to pay because it was curved and intersected with the straight deck planking. Paying the Devil was considered to be a most difficult and unpleasant task, sometimes used as mild punishment.

<em><strong>A Square Meal</strong></em>
The crews’ mess was a warm meal served on square wooden platters. They were not nutritionally balanced.

<em><strong>Son of a Gun</strong></em>
When in port, and with the crew restricted to the ship for any extended period of time, wives and ladies of easy virtue often were allowed to visit or even live aboard along with the crew. Infrequently, but not uncom- monly, children were born aboard, and a convenient place for this was between guns on the gun deck. If the child’s father was unknown, they were entered in the ship’s log as son of a gun.

<em><strong>Taking the wind out of his sails</strong></em>
Sailing in a manner so as to steal or divert wind from another ship’s sails.

<em><strong>Let the Cat Out of the Bag</strong></em>
Aboard ship the punishment prescribed for most serious crimes was flogging. This was administered by the Boson’s Mate using a whip called a cat o’ nine tails. The cat was kept in a red dyed bag. It was considered bad news indeed when the cat was let out of the bag.

<em><strong>Fly-by-Night</strong></em>
The word fly means “to sail” in nautical jargon. Sailing at night was a difficult and dangerous task. Therefore, when the night watch began, the elaborate sails used during the day were replaced by one large sail requir- ing rather little attention. This was the easiest sail to set and take down thus it could be put up and taken down quickly.

<em><strong>Give (someone) a Wide Berth</strong></em>
To anchor a ship far enough away from another ship so that they did not hit each other when they swung with the wind or tide.

<em><strong>High and dry</strong></em>
Stranded, without help or hope of recovery. This term originally referred to ships that were beached. The ‘dry’ implies that, not only were they out of the water, but had been for some time and could be expected to remain so.

<em><strong>Garbled</strong></em>
Garbling was the prohibited practice of mixing rubbish with the cargo. A distorted or mixed up signal or message was said to be garbled.

<em><strong>Press Into Service</strong></em>
The British navy filled their ships’ crew quotas by kidnapping men off the streets and forcing them into service. This was called Pressment and was done by Press Gangs.

<em><strong>Touch and Go</strong></em>
This referred to a ship’s keel touching the bottom and getting right off again.

<em><strong>Scuttlebutt</strong></em>
A butt was a large barrel. Scuttle meant to chop a hole in something. The scuttlebutt was a water barrel with a hole cut into it so that sailors could reach in and dip out drinking water. The scuttlebutt was the place where the ship’s gossip was exchanged.

<em><strong>Batten down the hatches</strong></em>
Prepare for trouble. The securing of property, especially the covering with protective sheeting (tarpaulin), is called ‘battening down’. A batten is a strip of wood used to secure the sheeting. It has a nautical origin and ‘battening down’ was done on ships when bad weather was expected.

<em><strong>True colors</strong></em>
Early warships often carried flags from many nations on board in order to elude or deceive the enemy. The rules of civilized warfare called for all ships to hoist their true national ensigns before firing a shot.";}i:3395;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:6:"cur_aa";s:5:"value";s:4:"2011";}i:3397;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:6:"cur_hh";s:5:"value";s:2:"19";}i:3393;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:6:"cur_jj";s:5:"value";s:2:"05";}i:3391;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:6:"cur_mm";s:5:"value";s:2:"12";}i:3399;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:6:"cur_mn";s:5:"value";s:2:"36";}i:3440;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"edit_date";s:5:"value";s:1:"1";}i:3411;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:7:"excerpt";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3372;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"gdsr_post_edit";s:5:"value";s:4:"edit";}i:3376;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:23:"gdsr_recc_vote_articles";s:5:"value";s:1:"H";}i:3373;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:11:"gdsr_review";s:5:"value";s:2:"-1";}i:3374;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:19:"gdsr_review_decimal";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3375;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:18:"gdsr_vote_articles";s:5:"value";s:1:"H";}i:3387;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"hh";s:5:"value";s:2:"19";}i:3394;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"hidden_aa";s:5:"value";s:4:"2011";}i:3396;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"hidden_hh";s:5:"value";s:2:"19";}i:3392;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"hidden_jj";s:5:"value";s:2:"01";}i:3390;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"hidden_mm";s:5:"value";s:2:"02";}i:3398;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"hidden_mn";s:5:"value";s:2:"33";}i:3380;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"hidden_post_password";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3378;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:18:"hidden_post_status";s:5:"value";s:7:"publish";}i:3381;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:22:"hidden_post_visibility";s:5:"value";s:6:"public";}i:3436;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"ID";s:5:"value";s:3:"218";}i:3385;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"jj";s:5:"value";s:2:"01";}i:3370;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"meta-box-order-nonce";s:5:"value";s:10:"004ad66a29";}i:3414;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:12:"metakeyinput";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3413;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:13:"metakeyselect";s:5:"value";s:6:"#NONE#";}i:3415;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"metavalue";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3384;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"mm";s:5:"value";s:2:"02";}i:3388;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"mn";s:5:"value";s:2:"33";}i:3403;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:11:"newcategory";s:5:"value";s:17:"New Category Name";}i:3404;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:18:"newcategory_parent";s:5:"value";s:2:"-1";}i:3361;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"originalaction";s:5:"value";s:8:"editpost";}i:3364;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"original_post_status";s:5:"value";s:7:"publish";}i:3400;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:16:"original_publish";s:5:"value";s:6:"Update";}i:3419;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:11:"ping_status";s:5:"value";s:4:"open";}i:3362;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:11:"post_author";s:5:"value";s:1:"1";}i:3421;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"post_author_override";s:5:"value";s:1:"1";}i:3437;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:12:"post_content";s:5:"value";s:9411:"Many phrases that have been adopted into everyday use originate from seafaring - in particular from the days of sail. Virtually all of these are metaphorical and the original nautical meanings are now forgotten. That association of travel and metaphor is significant in that the word metaphor derives from ancient Greek for ‘to carry’ or ‘to travel’. The influence of other languages and other cultures is evident in many of the long list of English phrases that have nautical origins.

It is an undoubted fact that seafaring is also the source of more false etymology than any other sphere. This can be attributed to the attractiveness of the romantic image of horny-handed sailors singing shanties and living a hearty and rough life at sea. After all, it sounds plausible that ‘cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey’ comes from brass ship’s fittings and that POSH means ‘Port out, starboard home’, but neither of these is correct. CANOE, theCommittee to Ascribe a Naval Origin to Everything, doesn’t really exist, but the number of these folk myths makes it seem as though they do.

It is lucky for us, in our endeavors’ to distinguish truth from false- hood, that activities at sea have been scrupulously recorded over the centuries, in insurance records, newspaper accounts and, not least, in ships’ log books. The term log-book has an interesting derivation in itself. An early form of measuring a ship’s progress was by casting overboard a wooden board (the log) with a string attached. The rate at which the string was payed out as the ship moved away from the stationary log was measured by counting how long it took between knots in the string. These measurements were later transcribed into a book. Hence we get the term ‘log-book’ and also the name ‘knot’as the unit of speed at sea.

<strong><em>Over the Barrel</em></strong>
The most common method of punishment aboard ship was flogging. The unfor- tunate sailor was tied to a grating, mast or over a barrel. Kissing the gunner’s daughter was being tied over the barrel of a deck cannon whilst it was fired.

<strong><em>To Know the Ropes</em></strong>
There are miles rope in the rigging of a square rigged ship. The only way of keeping track of the function of all of these lines was to memorize (know) where they were located. It took an experienced seaman to know the ropes.

<strong><em>Dressing Down</em></strong>
Thin and worn sails were often treated with oil or wax to renew their effective- ness. This was called dressing down. An officer or sailor who was reprimanded or scolded received a dressing down.

<strong><em>Footloose</em></strong>
The bottom portion of a sail is called the foot. If it is not secured, it is footloose and it dances randomly in the wind. Also known for a sail with no boom.

<strong><em>First Rate</em></strong>
Implies excellence. From the sixteenth century until steam powered ships took over, British naval ships were rated as to the number of heavy cannon they carried. A ship of 100 or more guns was a First Rate line-of-battle ship. Second rates carried 90 to 98 guns; Third Rates, 64 to 89 guns; Fourth Rates, 50 to 60 guns. Frigates carrying 20 to 48 guns were fifth and sixth rated.

<strong><em>Pipe Down</em></strong>
Means stop talking and be quiet. The Pipe Down was the last signal from the Boson’s pipe each day which meant lights out and silence.

<strong><em>Feeling Blue</em></strong>
When a ship’s captain died during a voyage, his ship would return to port flying a blue flag and bearing a blue stripe on its hull. The term “feeling blue” signifies depression or sadness today.

<strong><em>Three Sheets to the Wind</em></strong>
A sheet is a rope line which controls the tension on corners of a square sail. If, on a three masted ship, the sheets of the three lower course sails are loose, the sails will flap and flutter and are said to be in the wind. A ship in this condition would stagger and wander aimlessly downwind acting much like a drunken sailor.

<strong><em>Pooped</em></strong>
The poop is the stern section of a ship. To be pooped is to be struck by a high, following sea or wave on the stern.

<strong><em>As the Crow Flies</em></strong>
When lost or unsure of their position in coastal waters, ships would re- lease a caged crow. The crow would fly straight towards the nearest land thus giving the vessel some sort of a navigational fix. The tallest lookout platform on a ship came to be known as the crow’s nest.

<strong><em>Cut and Run</em></strong>
If a smaller ship at anchor was discovered by a larger enemy vessel, the smaller ship might decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and so would order the crew to cut the anchor cable and sail off in a hurry.

<strong><em>The Bitter End</em></strong>
The end of an anchor cable is fastened to the bits at the ship’s bow. If all of the anchor cable has been paid out you have come to the bitter end.

Toe the Line
When called to line up at attention, the ship’s crew would form up with their toes touching a seam in the deck planking.

Bear Down
To sail downwind rapidly towards another ship or landmark.

<em><strong>Under the Weather</strong></em>
If a crewman is standing watch on the weather side of the bow, he will be subject to the constant beating of the sea and the ocean spray. He will be under the weather.

<em><strong>Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea</strong></em>
The devil seam was the curved seam in the deck planking closest to the side of the ship and next to the scupper gutters. If a sailor were hanging off the side in a boatswains chair you would be between the devil and the deep blue sea.

<em><strong>The Devil to Pay</strong></em>
To pay the deck seams meant to seal them with tar. The devil seam was the most difficult to pay because it was curved and intersected with the straight deck planking. Paying the Devil was considered to be a most difficult and unpleasant task, sometimes used as mild punishment.

<em><strong>A Square Meal</strong></em>
The crews’ mess was a warm meal served on square wooden platters. They were not nutritionally balanced.

<em><strong>Son of a Gun</strong></em>
When in port, and with the crew restricted to the ship for any extended period of time, wives and ladies of easy virtue often were allowed to visit or even live aboard along with the crew. Infrequently, but not uncom- monly, children were born aboard, and a convenient place for this was between guns on the gun deck. If the child’s father was unknown, they were entered in the ship’s log as son of a gun.

<em><strong>Taking the wind out of his sails</strong></em>
Sailing in a manner so as to steal or divert wind from another ship’s sails.

<em><strong>Let the Cat Out of the Bag</strong></em>
Aboard ship the punishment prescribed for most serious crimes was flogging. This was administered by the Boson’s Mate using a whip called a cat o’ nine tails. The cat was kept in a red dyed bag. It was considered bad news indeed when the cat was let out of the bag.

<em><strong>Fly-by-Night</strong></em>
The word fly means “to sail” in nautical jargon. Sailing at night was a difficult and dangerous task. Therefore, when the night watch began, the elaborate sails used during the day were replaced by one large sail requir- ing rather little attention. This was the easiest sail to set and take down thus it could be put up and taken down quickly.

<em><strong>Give (someone) a Wide Berth</strong></em>
To anchor a ship far enough away from another ship so that they did not hit each other when they swung with the wind or tide.

<em><strong>High and dry</strong></em>
Stranded, without help or hope of recovery. This term originally referred to ships that were beached. The ‘dry’ implies that, not only were they out of the water, but had been for some time and could be expected to remain so.

<em><strong>Garbled</strong></em>
Garbling was the prohibited practice of mixing rubbish with the cargo. A distorted or mixed up signal or message was said to be garbled.

<em><strong>Press Into Service</strong></em>
The British navy filled their ships’ crew quotas by kidnapping men off the streets and forcing them into service. This was called Pressment and was done by Press Gangs.

<em><strong>Touch and Go</strong></em>
This referred to a ship’s keel touching the bottom and getting right off again.

<em><strong>Scuttlebutt</strong></em>
A butt was a large barrel. Scuttle meant to chop a hole in something. The scuttlebutt was a water barrel with a hole cut into it so that sailors could reach in and dip out drinking water. The scuttlebutt was the place where the ship’s gossip was exchanged.

<em><strong>Batten down the hatches</strong></em>
Prepare for trouble. The securing of property, especially the covering with protective sheeting (tarpaulin), is called ‘battening down’. A batten is a strip of wood used to secure the sheeting. It has a nautical origin and ‘battening down’ was done on ships when bad weather was expected.

<em><strong>True colors</strong></em>
Early warships often carried flags from many nations on board in order to elude or deceive the enemy. The rules of civilized warfare called for all ships to hoist their true national ensigns before firing a shot.";}i:3441;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"post_date";s:5:"value";s:19:"2011-02-01 19:33:20";}i:3442;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:13:"post_date_gmt";s:5:"value";s:19:"2011-02-01 19:33:20";}i:3438;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:12:"post_excerpt";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3422;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:11:"post_format";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3368;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:7:"post_ID";s:5:"value";s:3:"218";}i:3435;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"post_mime_type";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3420;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"post_name";s:5:"value";s:16:"nautical-sayings";}i:3383;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:13:"post_password";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3379;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:11:"post_status";s:5:"value";s:7:"publish";}i:3408;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:10:"post_title";s:5:"value";s:16:"Nautical Sayings";}i:3363;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:9:"post_type";s:5:"value";s:4:"post";}i:3401;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:7:"publish";s:5:"value";s:7:"Publish";}i:3425;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"pyre_critera_1";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3426;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"pyre_critera_1_score";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3427;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"pyre_critera_2";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3428;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"pyre_critera_2_score";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3429;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"pyre_critera_3";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3430;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"pyre_critera_3_score";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3431;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"pyre_critera_4";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3432;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"pyre_critera_4_score";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3433;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:14:"pyre_critera_5";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3434;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"pyre_critera_5_score";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3423;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:19:"pyre_featured_image";s:5:"value";s:3:"yes";}i:3424;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:18:"pyre_overall_score";s:5:"value";s:1:"0";}i:3365;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:10:"referredby";s:5:"value";s:78:"http://www.coastalmariner.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=218&action=edit&message=6";}i:3409;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:20:"samplepermalinknonce";s:5:"value";s:10:"73f0e14b6e";}i:3445;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:4:"save";s:5:"value";s:6:"Update";}i:3389;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:2:"ss";s:5:"value";s:2:"20";}i:3439;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:7:"to_ping";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3412;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:13:"trackback_url";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:3359;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:7:"user_ID";s:5:"value";s:1:"1";}i:3382;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:10:"visibility";s:5:"value";s:6:"public";}i:3377;a:2:{s:3:"key";s:10:"wp-preview";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}}