The Viking Daily which was delivered to us each evening featured extra information about the next day’s destination, and each one also had a Nautical Term of the Day. It reminded me how many sayings and words come from our rich nautical background, so here they are, verbatim:
GIVE (SOMEONE) A WIDE BERTH – this term was originally used when a ship had been anchored far enough away from another ship to ensure that they did not hit each other when they moved with the wind or tide.
CUT OF HIS JIB – Warships often had their foresails or jib sails cut thinly so that they could maintain point and not be blown off course. Upon sighting thin foresails on a distant ship, a captain may not like the “cut of his jib” and so might take advantage of the opportunity to escape.
GARBLED – “Garbling” was the prohibited practice of mixing rubbish with the cargo. A distorted, mixed-up message was said to be “garbled”.
PRESS INTO SERVICE – the British Navy filled their ships’ crew quotas by kidnapping men off the streets and forcing them into service. This was called “impressment” and was carried out by “press gangs”.
TOUCH AND GO – this referred to the moment when a ship’s keel touched the bottom and deflected off again. Very ironic as that nearly happened on the Middle Rhein and did happen on the Danube at Budapest!
ADRIFT – If something is not moored, and taken at the will of the wind and tide, then it is “adrift”, from the Middle English drifte (to float). Sailors used the word to describe anything that was missing or had come undone. From this word came “drifter” – a person without a purpose or aim in life.
AYE AYE – “Aye” is old English for “yes”. The seaman’s reply of “Aye aye sir” is taken to mean “I understand and will obey”.
BOOBY HATCH – this is a sliding cover of a hatch that must be pushed away to access.
BLUEJACKET – the first uniform ever officially sanctioned for sailors in the Royal Navy was a short blue jacket that was open at the front. The term is now used as a generic name for someone who has enlisted in the Navy.
BY GUESS AND BY GOD – This early form of navigation relied upon experience, intuition and faith. Today it has come to mean “inspired guesswork”!
EVEN KEEL – A keel is effectively the backbone of a vessel – the lowest and principal central structural member which runs fore-aft. A vessel which floats upright without listing is said to be on an “even keel” and this term has come to mean “calm and steady”.
BAMBOOZLE – from the 17th century, this term has described the Spanish custom of hoisting false flags in order to deceive, or bamboozle, their enemies.
BLIND EYE – In 1801, during the Battle of Copenhagen, Admiral Nelson deliberately held his telescope to his blind eye so that he would not see the flag signal from the commander to stop the bombardment. He won. Turning a “blind eye” means “to intentionally ignore”.
KEEL HAULING – this was a severe naval punishment during the 15th and 16th centuries. The victim, presumably a delinquent sailor, was tossed overboard and dragged from one side of the boat to the other underneath the keel. He was usually allowed to catch his breath before suddenly being tossed overboard again. The term is still used to describe a rough reprimand.
CHEWING THE FAT – Literally, this term described the act of eating the seamen’s daily ration of tough, salt cured pork or beef. Long before refrigeration, cured meats were tough but durable, and it took a lot of chewing to make them edible. Today, it has come to mean “a friendly conversation” or “talking too much.”
