Post by Kate Mercia on May 28, 2007 10:53:03 GMT -5
Guide to piratic language continued...
overhaul - (1) To slacken a line. (2) To gain upon in a chase; to overtake.
parrel (also parral) - A sliding loop of rope or chain by which a running yard or gaff is connected to, while still being able to move vertically along, the mast.
Pieces of Eight - Spanish silver coins worth one peso or eight "reales.," sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
pillage - To rob of goods by force, especially in time of war; plunder.
pink - A small sailing vessel with a sharply narrowed stern and an overhanging transom.
pinnace - A light boat propelled by sails or oars, used as a tender for merchant and war vessels; a boat for communication between ship and shore.
piracy - Robbery committed at sea.
pirate - One who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without commission from a sovereign nation; the opposite of a privateer.
Pirate Round - Route from North America to the Indian Ocean.
Plate Fleet - Fleet of Spanish ships used to carry silver and gold to Europe.
plunder - To take booty; rob.
poop deck - The highest deck at the stern of a large ship, usually above the captains quarters.
port - (1) A seaport. (2) The left side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow.
pressgang - A company of men commissioned to force men into service such as on a vessel, specifically a pirate ship.
Privateer - a privateer is a sailor with a letter of marque from a government. This letter "allows" the sailor to plunder any ship of a given enemy nation. Technically a privateer was a self employed soldier paid only by what he plundered from an enemy. In this, a privateer was supposed to be above being tried for piracy. A privateer is theoretically a law-abiding combatant, and entitled to be treated as an honorable prisoner if captured. Most often, privateers were a higher class of criminal, though many turned plain pirate before all was said and done.
provost - The person responsible for discipline on board a ship.
prow -- The "nose" of the ship.
quarter - derived from the idea of "shelter", quarter is given when mercy is offered by pirates. To give no quarter is to indicate that none will be spared. Quarter is often the prize given to an honorable loser in a pirate fight. If enraged, however, a pirate would deprive the loser any such luxury.
quarterdeck - The after part of the upper deck of a ship.
red ensign - A British flag.
reef - An underwater obstruction of rock or coral which can tear the bottom out of a ship.
reef sails - To shorten the sails by partially tying them up, either to slow the ship or to keep a strong wind from putting too much strain on the masts.
rigging - The system of ropes, chains, and tackle used to support and control the masts, sails, and yards of a sailing vessel.
rope's end - Another term for flogging. ie: "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
rum - An intoxicating beverage, specifically an alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented molasses or sugar cane.
run a rig - To play a trick.
run a shot across the bow - A command to fire a warning shot.
rutters - Detailed instructions listing all that is known about a place or rout.
Sail ho! - An exclamation meaning another ship is in view. The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
salmagundi - A salad usually consisting of chopped meat, anchovies, eggs, and onions, often arranged in rows on lettuce and served with vinegar and oil.
scallywag - A villainous or mischievous person.
schooner - A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel having at least two masts, with a foremast that is usually smaller than the other masts.
scourge of the seven seas - A pirate known for his extremely violent and brutal nature.
scuppers - Openings along the edges of a ship's deck that allow water on deck to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" is an expression of anger or derision meaning "Throw that overboard!"
scurvy - (1) A disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C often affecting sailors. (2) Mean and contemptible; a derogatory adjective suitable for use in a loud voice, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
scuttle - (1) A small opening or hatch with a movable lid in the deck or hull of a ship. (2) To sink by means of a hole in a ships hull.
Sea Legs - The ability to adjust one's balance to the motion of a ship, especially in rough seas. After walking on a ship for long periods of time, sailors became accustomed to the rocking of the ship in the water. Early in a voyage a sailor was said to be lacking his "sea legs" when the ship motion was still foreign to him. After a cruise, a sailor would often have trouble regaining his "land legs" and would swagger on land.
sheet - A line running from the bottom aft corner of a sail by which it can be adjusted to the wind
Shiver me timbers! - An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
shrouds - One of a set of ropes or wire cables stretched from the masthead to the sides of a vessel to support the mast.
Sink me! - An expression of surprise.
six pounders - Cannons.
skysail - A small square sail above the royal in a square-rigged vessel.
sloop - A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat with a short standing bowsprit or none at all and a single headsail set from the forestay. This boat was much favored by the pirates because of its shallow draught and maneuverability.
smartly - Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
snow - A square-rigged vessel, differing from a brig only in that she has a trysail mast close abaft the mainmast, on which a large trysail is hoisted.
Spanish Main - Lands taken by Spain from Mexico to Peru including the Caribbean islands.
spanker (see also driver)- The after sail of a ship or bark, being a fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff.
spike - To render (a muzzleloading gun) useless by driving a spike into the vent.
spirits - An alcoholic beverage, especially distilled liquor.
splice the main brace - To have a drink or perhaps several drinks.
spyglass - A telescope.
square-rigged - Fitted with square sails as the principal sails.
squiffy - Somewhat intoxicated; tipsy.
starboard - The right side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow.
stern - The rear part of a ship.
strike colors - To lower, specifically a ships flag as a signal of surrender.
sutler - A merchant in port, selling the various things that a ship needs for supplies and repairs.
swab - (1) To clean, specifically the deck of a ship. (2) A disrespectful term for a seaman. ie: "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
swing the lead - The lead was a weight at the bottom of a line that gave sailors a way to measure depth when near land. To Swing the Lead was considered a simple job, and thus came to represent one who is avoiding work or taking the easy work over the hard. In today's terms, one who swings the lead is a slacker.
tack - (1) The lower forward corner of a fore-and-aft sail. (2) The position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails or the act of changing from one position or direction to another.
tackle - A system of ropes and blocks for raising and lowering weights of rigging and pulleys for applying tension.
take a caulk - To take a nap. On deck of a ship, between planks, was a thick caulk of black tar and rope to keep water from between decks. This term came about either because sailors who slept on deck ended up with black lines across their backs or simply because sailors laying down on deck were as horizontal as the caulk of the deck itself.
tender - A vessel attendant on other vessels, especially one that ferries supplies between ship and shore; a small boat towed or carried by a ship.
topgallant - Of, relating to, or being the mast above the topmast, its sails, or its rigging.
topmast - The mast below the topgallant mast in a square-rigged ship and highest in a fore-and-aft-rigged ship.
topsail - A square sail set above the lowest sail on the mast of a square-rigged ship or a triangular or square sail set above the gaff of a lower sail on a fore-and-aft-rigged ship.
transom - Any of several transverse beams affixed to the sternpost of a wooden ship and forming part of the stern.
trysail - A small fore-and-aft sail hoisted abaft the foremast and mainmast in a storm to keep a ship's bow to the wind.
walk the plank - Perhaps more famous than historically practiced, walking the plank is the act of being forced off a ship by pirates as punishment or torture. The victim, usually blindfolded or with bound hands or both, is forced to walk along a plank laid over the ship's side and fall into the water below. The concept first appeared in nineteenth century fiction, long after the great days of piracy. History suggests that this might have happened once that can be vaguely documented, but it is etched in the image of the pirates for its dastardly content.
warp - To move (a vessel) by hauling on a line that is fastened to or around a piling, anchor, or pier.
weigh anchor - To haul the anchor up; more generally, to leave port.
wench - A young woman or peasant girl, sometimes a prostitute.
wherry - A light, swift rowboat built for one person usually used in inland waters or harbors.
yard - A long tapering spar slung to a mast to support and spread the head of a square sail, lugsail, or lateen.
yardarm - The main arm across the mast which holds up the sail; Either end of a yard of a square sail. The yardarm is a vulnerable target in combat, and is also a favorite place from which to hang prisoners or enemies. Black Bart hung his governor of Martinique from his yardarm.
yawl (or dandy) - A two-masted fore-and-aft-rigged sailing vessel similar to the ketch but having a smaller jigger- or mizzenmast stepped abaft the rudder; a ships small boat, crewed by rowers.
ye - You.
Yellow Jack - A yellow flag flown to indicate the presence of an illness, often yellow fever, aboard a ship. Often the flag is used to trick pirates into avoiding potential targets.
yo-ho-ho - An exclamation associated with pirates.
overhaul - (1) To slacken a line. (2) To gain upon in a chase; to overtake.
parrel (also parral) - A sliding loop of rope or chain by which a running yard or gaff is connected to, while still being able to move vertically along, the mast.
Pieces of Eight - Spanish silver coins worth one peso or eight "reales.," sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
pillage - To rob of goods by force, especially in time of war; plunder.
pink - A small sailing vessel with a sharply narrowed stern and an overhanging transom.
pinnace - A light boat propelled by sails or oars, used as a tender for merchant and war vessels; a boat for communication between ship and shore.
piracy - Robbery committed at sea.
pirate - One who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without commission from a sovereign nation; the opposite of a privateer.
Pirate Round - Route from North America to the Indian Ocean.
Plate Fleet - Fleet of Spanish ships used to carry silver and gold to Europe.
plunder - To take booty; rob.
poop deck - The highest deck at the stern of a large ship, usually above the captains quarters.
port - (1) A seaport. (2) The left side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow.
pressgang - A company of men commissioned to force men into service such as on a vessel, specifically a pirate ship.
Privateer - a privateer is a sailor with a letter of marque from a government. This letter "allows" the sailor to plunder any ship of a given enemy nation. Technically a privateer was a self employed soldier paid only by what he plundered from an enemy. In this, a privateer was supposed to be above being tried for piracy. A privateer is theoretically a law-abiding combatant, and entitled to be treated as an honorable prisoner if captured. Most often, privateers were a higher class of criminal, though many turned plain pirate before all was said and done.
provost - The person responsible for discipline on board a ship.
prow -- The "nose" of the ship.
quarter - derived from the idea of "shelter", quarter is given when mercy is offered by pirates. To give no quarter is to indicate that none will be spared. Quarter is often the prize given to an honorable loser in a pirate fight. If enraged, however, a pirate would deprive the loser any such luxury.
quarterdeck - The after part of the upper deck of a ship.
red ensign - A British flag.
reef - An underwater obstruction of rock or coral which can tear the bottom out of a ship.
reef sails - To shorten the sails by partially tying them up, either to slow the ship or to keep a strong wind from putting too much strain on the masts.
rigging - The system of ropes, chains, and tackle used to support and control the masts, sails, and yards of a sailing vessel.
rope's end - Another term for flogging. ie: "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
rum - An intoxicating beverage, specifically an alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented molasses or sugar cane.
run a rig - To play a trick.
run a shot across the bow - A command to fire a warning shot.
rutters - Detailed instructions listing all that is known about a place or rout.
Sail ho! - An exclamation meaning another ship is in view. The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
salmagundi - A salad usually consisting of chopped meat, anchovies, eggs, and onions, often arranged in rows on lettuce and served with vinegar and oil.
scallywag - A villainous or mischievous person.
schooner - A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel having at least two masts, with a foremast that is usually smaller than the other masts.
scourge of the seven seas - A pirate known for his extremely violent and brutal nature.
scuppers - Openings along the edges of a ship's deck that allow water on deck to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" is an expression of anger or derision meaning "Throw that overboard!"
scurvy - (1) A disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C often affecting sailors. (2) Mean and contemptible; a derogatory adjective suitable for use in a loud voice, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
scuttle - (1) A small opening or hatch with a movable lid in the deck or hull of a ship. (2) To sink by means of a hole in a ships hull.
Sea Legs - The ability to adjust one's balance to the motion of a ship, especially in rough seas. After walking on a ship for long periods of time, sailors became accustomed to the rocking of the ship in the water. Early in a voyage a sailor was said to be lacking his "sea legs" when the ship motion was still foreign to him. After a cruise, a sailor would often have trouble regaining his "land legs" and would swagger on land.
sheet - A line running from the bottom aft corner of a sail by which it can be adjusted to the wind
Shiver me timbers! - An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
shrouds - One of a set of ropes or wire cables stretched from the masthead to the sides of a vessel to support the mast.
Sink me! - An expression of surprise.
six pounders - Cannons.
skysail - A small square sail above the royal in a square-rigged vessel.
sloop - A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged sailing boat with a short standing bowsprit or none at all and a single headsail set from the forestay. This boat was much favored by the pirates because of its shallow draught and maneuverability.
smartly - Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
snow - A square-rigged vessel, differing from a brig only in that she has a trysail mast close abaft the mainmast, on which a large trysail is hoisted.
Spanish Main - Lands taken by Spain from Mexico to Peru including the Caribbean islands.
spanker (see also driver)- The after sail of a ship or bark, being a fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff.
spike - To render (a muzzleloading gun) useless by driving a spike into the vent.
spirits - An alcoholic beverage, especially distilled liquor.
splice the main brace - To have a drink or perhaps several drinks.
spyglass - A telescope.
square-rigged - Fitted with square sails as the principal sails.
squiffy - Somewhat intoxicated; tipsy.
starboard - The right side of the ship when you are facing toward her prow.
stern - The rear part of a ship.
strike colors - To lower, specifically a ships flag as a signal of surrender.
sutler - A merchant in port, selling the various things that a ship needs for supplies and repairs.
swab - (1) To clean, specifically the deck of a ship. (2) A disrespectful term for a seaman. ie: "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
swing the lead - The lead was a weight at the bottom of a line that gave sailors a way to measure depth when near land. To Swing the Lead was considered a simple job, and thus came to represent one who is avoiding work or taking the easy work over the hard. In today's terms, one who swings the lead is a slacker.
tack - (1) The lower forward corner of a fore-and-aft sail. (2) The position of a vessel relative to the trim of its sails or the act of changing from one position or direction to another.
tackle - A system of ropes and blocks for raising and lowering weights of rigging and pulleys for applying tension.
take a caulk - To take a nap. On deck of a ship, between planks, was a thick caulk of black tar and rope to keep water from between decks. This term came about either because sailors who slept on deck ended up with black lines across their backs or simply because sailors laying down on deck were as horizontal as the caulk of the deck itself.
tender - A vessel attendant on other vessels, especially one that ferries supplies between ship and shore; a small boat towed or carried by a ship.
topgallant - Of, relating to, or being the mast above the topmast, its sails, or its rigging.
topmast - The mast below the topgallant mast in a square-rigged ship and highest in a fore-and-aft-rigged ship.
topsail - A square sail set above the lowest sail on the mast of a square-rigged ship or a triangular or square sail set above the gaff of a lower sail on a fore-and-aft-rigged ship.
transom - Any of several transverse beams affixed to the sternpost of a wooden ship and forming part of the stern.
trysail - A small fore-and-aft sail hoisted abaft the foremast and mainmast in a storm to keep a ship's bow to the wind.
walk the plank - Perhaps more famous than historically practiced, walking the plank is the act of being forced off a ship by pirates as punishment or torture. The victim, usually blindfolded or with bound hands or both, is forced to walk along a plank laid over the ship's side and fall into the water below. The concept first appeared in nineteenth century fiction, long after the great days of piracy. History suggests that this might have happened once that can be vaguely documented, but it is etched in the image of the pirates for its dastardly content.
warp - To move (a vessel) by hauling on a line that is fastened to or around a piling, anchor, or pier.
weigh anchor - To haul the anchor up; more generally, to leave port.
wench - A young woman or peasant girl, sometimes a prostitute.
wherry - A light, swift rowboat built for one person usually used in inland waters or harbors.
yard - A long tapering spar slung to a mast to support and spread the head of a square sail, lugsail, or lateen.
yardarm - The main arm across the mast which holds up the sail; Either end of a yard of a square sail. The yardarm is a vulnerable target in combat, and is also a favorite place from which to hang prisoners or enemies. Black Bart hung his governor of Martinique from his yardarm.
yawl (or dandy) - A two-masted fore-and-aft-rigged sailing vessel similar to the ketch but having a smaller jigger- or mizzenmast stepped abaft the rudder; a ships small boat, crewed by rowers.
ye - You.
Yellow Jack - A yellow flag flown to indicate the presence of an illness, often yellow fever, aboard a ship. Often the flag is used to trick pirates into avoiding potential targets.
yo-ho-ho - An exclamation associated with pirates.
