Pirate Captaintm Glossary
The Pirate Captain, Chronicles of a Legend “Pinterest” Images
abaft: across, to the other side of the ship
abeam: directly to the side; right angle to the keel
*accommodation ladder: steps up the side of the ship
*aft: rear, back, toward the stern
afterguard: seamen whose assignment is on the quarterdeck
*aftersail: a sail behind the main sail
ahoo: 18th century nautical for “chaotic” or “messy”
“All stations!”: everyone to man his post
*amidships: on or near the middle or waist
amontillado: a Spanish medium-dry sherry
anchor watch: men assigned with the duty of minding the ship while at anchor, in case of slipped anchor or unwelcomed boarders
answer: 18th century for “serve” or “work”
*arisaid: a *Scottish women’s shawl or version of the men’s great kilt
armorer: ship’s blacksmith
arsey-farsey: confused
astern: toward the rear, or off the stern of the ship
*astrolabe: an astronomical instrument for taking the altitude of the sun or stars
aweigh: the ship moving or leaving port; “We’ll aweigh” would mean, “We’ll depart;” often confused with “away”
backing and filling: going backwards and forwards; idling time
*backstay: part of the standing rigging supporting the masts, etc. from the back
bairns: Scots for “children”
Bannochbroch: small town in the Highlands, where a skirmish took place during the Jacobite Uprising of 1745
*banyan: men’s dressing gown
*bar and chain shot: shot from a cannon; a bar with round or square ends; a length of chain with a ball at each end
barky: mariner’s affectation for his ship
Barra Terre: an island in the central Caribbean
“Bear a hand!”: “Gimme a hand!” or “Hurry up!”
“Bear a weather eye”: be alert
*bearing: direction by the compass
Bedlam: a hospital for the insane in London
belay: 1)“Stop” Or “Take it easy;” 2)to secure or tie off
belike: 18th century for “in all likelihood”
*below: image2, image3, deck other than the main
*bells: image2, the ship’s system of timekeeping but only with reference to the duration of the current watch; indirectly, the time of day
*bend/unbend: on a ship, the act of putting up or taking down sails
berth: bed or bunk
between the devil and the deep blue sea: a section under the edge of the deck that was “the devil” to reach for painting; a reference to someone hanging over the edge, or in definite peril
*bilboes: image2 irons
bilge: 1) the space beneath the hold’s floor; 2) the foul water and other filth that collects in that space
bilge rats: 1) the rodents living in the bilges; 2) lowly people
Binnacle List: a list of the ship’s sick-and-hurt
*binnacle: image2, a cabinet-like structure in front of the helm which houses the compass and other navigational necessaries.
*biscuit: short for “ship’s biscuit” also known as hardtack
*bitts: any of the posts fixed in pairs on the deck of a ship for belaying ropes
bitter end: the end of a rope under heavy use; to reach its end can be big trouble
blighter: annoying person; a jerk
*blocks: image2, pulleys; part of the rigging
boatswain: see bosun
bombay bomber: cockroach
bonneted: secured and covered with canvas
boomtricers: those assigned to trice (lift or secure) a boom(yard)
bosun: literal pronunciation for boatswain
bottling your tot: saving one’s grog ration for later
boucan: the open-pit fires for which “buccaneers” were probably named
bowlines: (BO-luns) the lines securing the windward side of a sail
*bowsprit: image2, heavy spar which protrudes from the front of the ship as a support for sails and rigging
bracemen: those handling the braces
*braces: the ropes used to swing the yardarms, and hence the sails
brailing up courses: bringing up the lower corners of the main sails
brighten blades: sharpen and clean
brimstone: sulfur
*broadside: 1) the side of a ship above the water; 2) a firing of all cannon on one side of the ship at one time
buggering: derogatory; a jerk
bulkhead: inside walls of a ship
*bulwark: raised section between the rail and the deck
bumboat: 1) small boat used to peddle provisions to ships anchored offshore; 2) scavenger’s boat used to remove filth; 3) small vessel which conveyed
prostitutes to the ships
*bunghole: The hole in a cask, keg, or barrel through which liquid is poured in or drained out.
burn: Scots for “river”
busted gut: hernia
Butcher’s Bill: casualty list
“By your leave:” 18th century for “I beg your pardon,” “Excuse me,” “If you’ll excuse me…”
*cable: image2, a thick rope, some up to 30" inches
*cable tier: compartment where the anchor cable is stored
cable’s length: a measurement in the range of 600-700 feet, depending on the diameter
cack-handed: literally, left-handed; referring to any matter handled poorly
caning: beating someone with a cane
canny: careful
Cap du-Mole: a cape on Hispaniola’s northwest shore
*cap: a fitting on either a mast or spar
*capstan: image2, ship’s winch
Captain-of-the-crosstrees: crew chief of some of those who work in the upper rigging
*cartouche: box for holding musket or pistol cartridges, sometimes to be worn on a belt at the waist
cast one off: to set someone adrift, usually in a very small boat, as a means of banishment
*cat: cat-o-nines, whip, lash
Catalan: language spoken in the northeastern provinces of Spain
*cat-harpings: small ropes which brace the shrouds
caught by the lee: surprised or caught off guard
*caulk: the stuffing between the planks that kept the ship watertight; a combination of oakum and tar
*caulking mallets: hammers used to pound the caulk into the ship’s seams
Cayo Hueso: a West Indies island
changeling: a spirit’s infant which has been traded with a mortal’s
chanty: sailor’s song
charqui: strips of dried meat; jerky
cheekblock: a variety of block fastened on one side to another object
chirurgeon: 18th century for “surgeon;” this person was often also the barber
clap on: a command to grab hold, seize, pull, etc.
“Clear the braces!”: a command in preparation to maneuver the ship in some way
clew to earring: mariner’s term for top-to-bottom, everything
*clew: lower corner of a square sail or aftermost corner of a triangular one
coaming: raised edge at the bottom of a doorway that stops water from coming in
*cochineal: image2, a highly valued red dye
cockchafer: cockroach
come about: turn around
coming up too hard: bringing the bow of the ship to near the direction of the wind
*companionway: stairway inside the ship
company muster: see: muster book
“Comprendes?”: Spanish for “Understand?”
consort: a ship’s sailing companion
*cooper: barrelmaker
cordage: ropes, as in those used for the ship’s rigging
*corvette: a type of ship
cosseted: coddled or pampered
cot: bed or bunk
course: lowest and largest sail on either the main or foremast
coxsun: literal pronunciation of “cockswain”
*cringle: a loop of rope on a sail used for reefing
Cross of St. George: the Union Jack
*crosstrees: horizontal cross-timbers between the shrouds
Cumberland: British army commander put in charge of the Highlands after the Stuart Uprising
*curate: two-wheeled carriage
*cutwater: bow, prow, forefoot
daft: 18th century for “crazy”
Davy Jones: a mythical person who ferried those who died at sea to the afterlife
dawcock: silly or ridiculous person
*deadeyes: an eyed block that secures the shrouds to the ship
*deck prism: image2, a piece of glass through the deck to allow light below
derrick yard: a yard rigged to be used to bring heavy cargo aboard
desire: 18th century for “ask,” “wish,” “request”
Devil of the Deep: Davy Jones, the ferryman of the dead
*dimity: striped cotton fabric
*dividers: a navigational instrument used to measure distances
dolt: idiot, fool
double-shot: two balls loaded into a cannon instead of one
“Douse the tops and lay ’er in irons”: a command, bring the a ship to a halt by way of reducing sail and bringing her bow to the wind
doxie: floozy
draughts: the game of checkers
*drawing and quartering: image2, a punishment reserved for traitors, which included not only hanging, but cutting out the victim’s heart while it was still beating, then cutting the body into pieces and strewing it so that there was no grave, hence damning them
drubbing: beating, usually with some kind of club
dueña: Spanish for “governess”
duff: a steamed suet pudding with currants; often a Sunday treat in the Royal Navy
dunnage: baggage; gear
dutch-built: derogatory for something that is poorly built
*earing: image2, Mariner for the small ropes which attach the upper corner of the sail to the yard
eight bells: the number of rings (actually double rings) marking the end of a watch; it can mean either 4 or 8 am, Noon, 4 or 8 pm, or midnight
entry port: opening in the bulwark at the top of the accommodation ladder
*etui: image2, a small, often decorative case for sewing needles
*ewer: image2, large water pitcher
Falkirk: battle during the Stuart Uprising
fall off: bringing the ship’s bow away from the wind
fancy: 18th century for “like,” “prefer,” “wish”
*fireship: 1)a vessel set afire and then set adrift among enemy ships ; 2) a prostitute with venereal disease
First Watch: the duty period running from 8p.m. to midnight
fishwife: annoying, hag-like woman
flogging sail: flapping
fly the tops: sail with the topsails
fly-by-nights: large single sail used to replace several smaller, hence requiring less attending
*fop: an overly ostentatious man; a dandy
fore-and-afters: those assigned to either the foredeck or the afterdeck
*forecastle: the raised foredeck
*forefoot: leading edge of the keel; the bow
*foregallant: one of the higher sails on the foremast
*forepeak: furthest point forward in the ship’s hold; inside the bow
*foreroyal: the royal sail on the foremast
*forestay: supports running forward of the masts; opposite of backstay
fortnight: 18th century for “two weeks”
fraymaker: disturber of the peace
fuddling: drunken; confused
“Full cover!”: command for all the sails the ship will bear
fuses ’twixt the fingers: pirate torture method of putting burning slow-match between the victim’s fingers
*futtock: part of the wooden framing of the ship or the supports to the base of the topmast
*galley: ship’s kitchen
gallowsy: fit to be hung, criminally inclined
garnet: A tackle for hoisting light cargo.
*gig: a light, narrow ship’s boat, rigged for either oars or sailing
give ease: 18th century; allow one to relax; calming
give quarter: dating back to the knights, a pledge that if a ship was to surrender immediately, no one would be killed
*glass: image2, 1) looking glass; 2) a hourglass, which was a ship’s only timepiece; 3) “a glass” meant the period of time; a 30-minute one was used for the watches, a 28-second glass for measuring the ship’s speed: spyglass
go pear-shaped: take a bad turn
go to windward of: be cautious of
“Go toss yourself”: bring oneself off (sexual); hand job
gob: mouth
*grates: image2, hatch covers
*Great cabin: the large aft cabin, usually the captain’s cabin
*great guns: image2, cannon on a ship
grog: a mix of water, lime juice, and rum, the proportions depending on the ship
*gull-winged: when the sails are loosely secured, so that they sag slightly
gun'l: literal pronunciation of “gunwale”
*gunner: a member of the crew of a cannon (usually 6-8)
guns spiked: metal has been broken off in a cannon’s touchhole, rendering it useless
gunwale: topmost outside edge of the ship’s hull
hanging locker: closet
hauled his wind: ran off
*Hawley: Lt. Gen. Henry Hawley, British army commander during the Stuart Uprising
*hawse: heavy cable; anchor cable
head: the bow of the ship, which the crew used as their privy (yes, hangin’ it over the rail)
*helm: image2, the ship’s wheel, or anywhere in the immediate vicinity
“Helms a-lee”: part of a series of commands when a ship is being turned
helmsman: the man at the helm
hidey hole: hiding places used on a ship for smuggling goods or people
“Hist, now!”: “Quiet,” “shh!”
*hitch: type of knot
hock and heave: a mode of punishment in which the victim’s hamstrings are sliced and then he is thrown overboard
*hogshead: a large cask; 63 gallons, if wine; 54 gallons, if beer; 48 gallons, if ale
*hold: lowest deck of a ship, usually used for storage
*holystone: blocks of sandstone used for scouring the decks
hooked on: tied onto
*horn lamp: lantern with thin sheets of horn for a lens
*horses: footropes on the yards
hove to: surrender
“’Hoy!”: short for “ahoy;” a greeting
*hull down: when a ship is so far away, only the sails can be seen
*hull up: when a ship is near enough that her hull is visible
*humours: image2, a reference to the belief that the body was ruled by four fluids: blood, phlegm, choler, and melancholy
ironmonger: ironware dealer; hardware merchant
irons: 1) shackles; manacles; 2) to “in irons” meant the ship was motionless, probably with her bow to the wind
iron-sick: bolts, nails, etc. are severely corroded by salt
jack: man, person, sailor
*jib: image2, triangular headsail
*jib-boom: image2, long spar extending off the bowsprit to support the jibs and other rigging
Jimmy Bungs: often the nickname for the ship’s cooper
*jump stays: image2, a softer style of women’s corse
junk: worn-out cables or ropes
*kedge: anchors smaller than the Number One
*keel: bottom of the ship
keel-hauling: a punishment of dragging a man under the ship from bow to stern.
ken: Scots for “know”
*kertch: a large cloth worn around a woman’s neck and tucked into her bosom
kevel: wooden cleat attached to the ship, used to secure ropes; sometimes called a knighthead
knacker’s: 18th century for a boneyard
knightheads: the two large timbers which support the bowsprit
*knot: increment of speed, a little under miles per hour, measured with a log line
*knotwork: image2, fancy work, the early stages of macrame
laggardly: 18th century for “lazy,” “slow,” “unhandy”
land in the lee: the wind pushed a ship sideways as well as forward, making land downwind (in the lee) a concern
langrage: an 18thC anti-personnel weapon; a cannon caseshot containing anything from nails to small pellets