by Alaric Bond
Biscuit – Small hammock mattress, resembling ships rations. Also Hard Tack.
Bitter end – The very end of an anchor cable.
Bitts – Stout horizontal pieces of timber, supported by strong verticals, that extend deep into the ship. These hold the anchor cable when the ship is at anchor. Also Jeer bits.
Blab – (Slang) Gossip.
Block – Article of rigging that allows pressure to be diverted or, when used with others, increased. Consists of a pulley wheel, made of lignum vitae, encased in a wooden shell. Blocks can be single, double (fiddle block), triple or quadruple. Main suppliers Taylors, of Southampton.
Boat fall – Line that raises or lowers a ship’s boat.
Boatswain(pronounced Bosun) – The officer who superintends the sails, rigging, canvas, colours, anchors, cables and cordage, committed to his charge.
Bolt rope/line – Line sewn into the edge of a sail, at the bolt.
Boom – Lower spar to which the bottom of a gaff sail is attached.
Bootnecks – (Slang) Marines. Also Gallouts, Guffies or Jollies.
Bower – Type of anchor mounted in the bows.
Bowline – Line attached to the middle of the leech that keeps the leading edge of a sail forward when sailing close to the wind.
Braces – Lines used to adjust the angle between the yards and the fore and aft line of the ship. Mizzen braces, and braces of a brig, lead forward.
Breach rope/line – Heavy line to stop the recoil of a cannon, (7” for 32 pounder).
Brig – Two masted vessel square-rigged on both masts..
Broach – When running down wind, to round up into the wind, out of control usually due to carrying too much canvas.
Bulkhead – A wall or partition within the hull of a ship.
Bulwark – The planking or wood-work about a vessel above her deck.
Bumboat – (Slang) A shore based vessel that approaches large sea going ships to sell luxuries, etc. Often contains money lenders (who will give a mean return in cash for a seaman’s pay ticket). Frequently crewed by large masculine women, who employ far more fetching girls to carry out the bargaining with the seamen.
Bunt – Middle upper part of a sail, next to the mast.
Bunting – Material from which signal flags are made.
Button – Top of a mast or extreme end of a cannon, (on the Blomefield model, carrying a loop to take the breach rope) See cascabel.
Canister – Type of shot, also known as case. Small iron balls packed into a cylindrical case.
Carronade – Short cannon firing a heavy shot. Invented by Melville, Gascoigne and Miller in late 1770’s and adopted in 1779. Often used on the upper deck of larger ships, or as the main armament of smaller.
Cascabel – Part of the breach of a cannon.
Caulk – (Slang) to sleep. Also Caulking, a process to seal the seams between strakes.
Channel – Projecting ledge that holds deadeyes from shrouds and backstays, originally chain-whales.
Channel Gropers – (Slang) The Channel Fleet, when under blockading duties.
Cleat – A retaining piece for lines attached to yards, etc.
Close hauled – Sailing as near as possible into the wind.
Coaming – A ridged frame about hatches to prevent water on deck from getting below.
Companionway – A staircase or passageway.
Cornwallis (Charles) – Viceroy and Commander in Chief of Ireland during 1798.
Counter – The lower part of a ship’s stern.
Course – A large square lower sail, hung from a yard, with sheets controlling, and securing it.
Crimp – (Slang) One who procures pressed men for the service.
Croppy – hunter(Slang) One who persecutes rebels.
Crown and Anchor – A popular shipboard dice game.
Crows of iron – “Crow bars” used to move a gun or heavy object.
Cutter – Fast small, single masted vessel with a sloop rig. Also a seaworthy ship’s boat.
Cutting out – The act of taking an enemy vessel while it is in a supposedly safe harbour or anchorage.
Deadeyes – A round, flattish wooden block with three holes through which a lanyard is reaved. Used to tension shrouds and backstays.
Ditty bag – (Slang) A seaman’s bag. Derives its name from the dittis or Manchester stuff of which it was once made.
Dollond – Maker of optical instruments; slang for the instrument itself.
Doxies – (Slang) Shore based prostitutes or temporary wives. Usually reasonably attractive as by tradition they do not pay the ferryman’s fair unless they find a “Fancy Man”. (Also the officer allowing them on board will only admit pretty women, for the honour of the ship.)
Driver – Large sail set on the mizzen in light winds. The foot is extended by means of a boom.
Dunnage – Officially the packaging around cargo. Also (Slang) Seaman’s baggage or possessions.
Eight bells – The end of a normal 4 hour watch. The bell is rung every half hour, the number of rings increasing with the passage of time.
Fall – The loose end of a lifting tackle on which the men haul.
Fat head – (Slang) The feeling one gets from sleeping below on stuffy nights.
Fetch – To arrive, or reach a destination. Also the distance the wind blows across the water. The longer the fetch the bigger the waves.
Fife rail – Holed rail to accept belaying pins.
First Luff – (Slang) First lieutenant.
Flexible rammer – Gun serving tool made of thick line, with rammer to one end and sponge to the other. The flexibility of which allows a gunport to remain closed while the gun is served.
Forereach – To gain upon, or pass by another ship when sailing in a similar direction.
Forestay – Stay supporting the masts running forward, serving the opposite function of the backstay. Runs from each mast at an angle of about 45 degrees to meet another mast, the deck or the bowsprit.
Frapping/Frapped – To make secure by binding.
Frizzen – Striking plate of a flintlock mechanism.
Futtock shrouds – Rigging that projects away from the mast leading to, and steadying, a top or crosstrees. True sailors climb up them, rather than use the lubber’s hole, even though it means hanging backwards.
Gaff – Spar attached to the top of the gaff sail.
Gangway – The light deck or platform on either side of the waist leading from the quarterdeck to the forecastle, often called a gangboard in merchant ships. Also, narrow passages left in the hold, when a ship is laden.
Gammoning – Wrapping line about a mast or spar e.g. the lashing that holds the bowsprit against upward pressure, to the knee of the head.
Gasket – Line or canvas strip used to tie the sail when furling.
Gig – Medium sized boat.
Glass; – Telescope. Also, hourglass an instrument for measuring time. Also barometer.
Go-about – To alter course, changing from one tack to the other with the wind crossing the bows.
Gratings – An open wood-work of cross battens and ledges forming cover for the hatchways, serving to give light and air to the lower decks. In nautical phrase, he “who can’t see a hole through a grating” is excessively drunk.
Grappling-iron – Small anchor, fitted with four or five flukes or claws, Used to hold two ships together for boarding.
Grog – Rum mixed with water (to ensure it is drunk immediately, and not accumulated). Served twice a day at ratios differing from three to five to one.
Gunpowder – A mixture of charcoal, salt petre and sulphur.
Half deck – Area immediately between the captain’s quarters and the mainmast.
Halyards – Lines which raise yards, sails, signals, etc.
Handspike – Long lever.
Hanger – A fighting sword, similar to a cutlass.
Hawse – Area in bows where holes are cut to allow the anchor cables to pass through. Also used as general term for bows.<
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Hawser – Heavy cable used for hauling, towing or mooring.
Head – Toilet, or seat of ease. Those for the common sailor were sited at the bows to allow for a clear drop and the wind to carry any unpleasant odours away.
Head braces – Lines used to adjust the angle of the upper yards.
Head rope/line – Line sewn into the edge at the head of a sail.
Headway – The amount a vessel is moved forward, (rather than leeway the amount a vessel is moved sideways), when the wind is not directly behind.
Heave to – Keeping a ship relatively stationary by backing certain sails in a seaway.
Holystone – (Slang) Block of sandstone roughly the size and shape of a family bible. Used to clean and smooth decks. Originally salvaged from the ruins of a church on the Isle of Wright.
Hounds – Top of a section of mast, where the shrouds run from.
Hulled – Describes a ship that, when fired upon, the shot passes right through the hull.
Idler – One who does not keep a watch, cook, carpenter, etc.
Interest – Backing from a superior officer or one in authority, useful when looking for promotion to, or within, commissioned rank.
Jape – (Slang) Joke.
Jeer bits – Stout timber frame about the mast, these extend deep into the ship.
Jeers – Thick lines which raise the lower yards.
Jib-boom – Boom run out from the extremity of the bowsprit, braced by means of a Martingale stay, which passes through the dolphin striker,
Junk – Old line used to make wads, etc.
Jury mast/rig – Temporary measure used to restore a vessels sailing ability.
Lading – The act of loading.
Lake (Gerard) – English lieutenant-general who took charge of British forces during 1798.
Landsman – The rating of one who has no experience at sea.
Lanthorn – Lantern.
Lanyard – Short piece of line to be used as a handle. Also decorative tassel to uniform.
Larboard – Left side of the ship when facing forward.
Launch – Large ship’s boat, crew of 40-60.
Leeward – The downwind side of a ship.
Leeway – The amount a vessel is pushed sideways by the wind, (as opposed to headway, the forward movement, when the wind is directly behind).
Legs and wings – (Slang) A surgeon’s ‘offcuts’.
Liner – (Slang) Ship of the line or Ship of the line of battle (later battleship).
Linstock – The holder of slow match which the gun captain uses to fire his piece when the flintlock mechanism is not working/present.
Lobscouse – A mixture of salted meat, biscuit, potatoes, onions and spices, minced small and stewed together.
Loblolly men/boys – Surgeon’s assistants.
Lubberly/Lubber – (Slang) Unseamanlike behaviour; as a landsman.
Luff – Intentionally sail closer to the wind, perhaps to allow work aloft. Also the flapping of sails when brought too close to the wind. The side of a fore and aft sail laced to the mast.
Main tack – Line leading forward from a sheave in the hull allowing the clew of the maincourse to be held forward when the ship is sailing close to the wind.
Martingale stay – Line that braces the jib-boom, passing from the end, through the dolphin striker, to the ship.
Master-at-Arms – Senior hand, responsible for discipline aboard ship.
Midshipman – Junior, and aspiring, officer.
Open order – In fleet sailing, 3 - 4 cables apart.
Ordinary – Term used to describe a ship laid up; left in storage, with principle shipkeepers aboard, but unfit for immediate use.
Orlop – Deck directly above the hold, and below the lower gun deck. A lighter deck than the gun deck (no cannon to support) and usually level or below the waterline. Holds warrant officers mess, and midshipmen’s berth, also carpenters and sail makers stores. Used as an emergency operating area in action.
Over threes – (Slang) Referring to a captain of over three years seniority, and entitled to wear both epaulettes (after the uniform changes of 1795)
Palaverer – One who attempts to fool or con through clever wordplay.
Pariah-dogs – (Slang) Men who change mess so often they are forced to mess alone, or with others of their kind. They are usually unpopular for a variety of anti-social reasons.
Peach – (Slang) To betray or reveal; from impeach.
Peter Warren – (Slang) Petty Warrant Victuals, fresh food sent from the shore to ships staying in harbour.
Pinance – Ship’s boat powered by oars or sail. Smaller than a barge.
Pissdale – A basic urinal.
Pointing the ropes – The act of tapering the end of a line to allow it to pass easily through a block.
Poop – Aft most, and highest, deck of a larger ship.
Pox – (Slang) Venereal Disease, Common on board ship; until 1795 a man suffering had to pay a 15/- fine to the surgeon, in consequence, many cases went unreported. Treatment was often mercurial, and ultimately ineffective.
Protection – A legal document that gives the owner protection against impressment.
Provisions – Naval rations.
Pumpdale – Gully carrying water cleared by a pump.
Purser – Officer responsible for provisions and clothing on board.
Purser’s dip – Tallow lantern allowed below deck.
Pusser – (Slang) Purser.
Quarterdeck – Deck forward of the poop, but at a lower level. The preserve of officers.
Queue – A pigtail. Often tied by a man’s best friend (his tie mate).
Ratlines – Lighter lines, untarred, and tied horizontally across the shrouds at regular intervals, to act as rungs and allow men to climb aloft.
Reef – A portion of sail that can be taken in to reduce the size of the whole.
Reefing points – Light line on large sails which can be tied to reduce sail in heavy weather.
Reefing tackle – Line that leads from the end of the yard to the reefing cringles set in the edges of the sail. It is used to haul up the upper part of the sail when reefing.
Rigging – Tophamper; made up of standing (static) and running (moveable) rigging, blocks etc. (Slang) Clothes.
Roach – The lower edge of a sail, usually scalloped, in the case of a main or fore course. In warships the roach is deeper (more round). Also Gore.
Rondey – (Slang) The Rendezvous location where a press is based and organised.
Running – Sailing before the wind.
Sailor’s joy – (Slang) A home made drink so potent that even men accustomed to drinking grog on a regular basis soon become intoxicated.
Schooner – Small craft with two masts.
Sconce – Candle holder, made of tin, usually large and flat for stability.
Scotch coffee – An infusion of burnt biscuit thought, by some, to resemble coffee.
Scran – (Slang) Food.
Scupper – Waterway that allows deck drainage.
Sennight – Seven days.
Shako – Marine’s headgear.
Sheet – A line that controls the foot of a sail.
Sheet anchor – Heaviest anchor (although often not much bigger than the bower). Also slang for the seaman’s last hope - if the sheet doesn’t hold…
Shrouds – Lines supporting the masts athwart ship (from side to side) which run from the hounds (just below the top) to the channels on the side of the hull. Upper run from the top deadeyes to the crosstrees.
Sick Bay – An area permanently set aside for the accommodation of sick and wounded, as opposed to
Sick Berth – Any other place reserved for invalids.
Skylarking – (Slang) Unofficial exercise aloft, often in the form of “follow my leader” or other games.
Slab line – Line passing up abaft a ship’s main or fore sail, used to truss up the slack sail.
Sloop – Small craft, usually the command of a commander or
junior captain.
Slops – (Slang) Ready made clothes and other goods sold to the crew by the purser.