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HOW do i earn the jolly roger patch ? plez n ty heart
Jolly Roger
Awarded t'ye scurvy dogs that prove yerself t'be a pirate.
Titles: Salty, Scurvy, Lily-livered, Swashbuckling, Pirate, Deckhand, Wench, Bilge rat

Winter Star

Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer

Popular Lunatic

12,400 Points
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dramallama

Dangerous Cub

Slimy Blob

23,850 Points
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Apocalyptic Fatcat

Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, Drink and the devil had done for the rest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight, With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight, And we heaved 'em over and out of sight, With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well, And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell, Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Scurvy dog! Pirate life on a ship. Avast ye ayeterday!, gold dubloon my bonny booty briny deep ocean, arrgh shiver me timbers yar walk the plank, hoist the jolly rogers, Arrr

Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey, Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow, pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy, Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust, Ahoy! - Hello! Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend! Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!" All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - aye Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing Bilge-sucking - insult Blimey! - exhortation of surprise Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!" Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone Booty - booty Buccaneer - a pirate Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes Feed the fish - will soon die Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle Head - the pirate ship's toilet Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle Me - my Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts Old Salt - an experienced sailor Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom. Privateer - government-sponsored pirates Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult Scuttle - to sink a ship Seadog - old pirate or sailor Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker Shipshape - cleaned up and under control Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!" Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out. Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going Ye - ye Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention Ye've Landlubber Arrrg! Avast Ye Scurvy Parrot Sea Ahoy Ye Matey Shiver me timbers seven seas poop deck walk the plank ships parrot pegleg hook cannon Davy Jones' Locker poop deck doubloons booty loot booty buccaneer
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!

Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Lol!
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot booty buccaneer
A

Aft – The back of the ship.

Ahoy! – ‘Hello’

Arr – Yes/That’s great/I agree

Aye – ‘Yes, definitely.’

Aye Aye – ‘Of course, I’ll do that now.’

B

Barbary Coast – Mediterranean coast off of North Africa.

Be – Use instead of ‘am’, ‘are’ or ‘is’.

Bilboes – Leg irons attached to the deck of a ship.

Bilge – The dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship.

Bilge rat – A rat that lives in the dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship. This is not a nice name to call somebody.

Black Spotted – A person/animal that has had a curse put on them.

Blimey – ‘Wow.’

Booty – Riches that have usually been stolen.

Bounty – A reward, usually paid by the Government for the capture of a criminal.

Buccanneer – Pirates, usually from Hispaniola, who attacked Spanish ships in the Caribbean.

Bucko – Friend

C

Careen – To clean the hull of a ship.

Cat’o’nine tails – A whip made up of nine knotted ropes and used as punishment.

Convoy – A group of ships traveling together.

Corsair – Pirates in the Mediterranean.

Crow’s Nest – A lookout point at the top of the highest mast of a ship.

Cutlass – A curved sword, often used by sailors.

D

Davy Jones Locker – The bottom of the ocean.

Deck – The highest floor on a ship.

Deckhand – A person working on a ship, sometimes shortened to ‘hand’.

Dubloon – An old Spainish gold coin.

F

Fair Winds – ‘Good Luck.’

Flog – To whip.

Fore – Short for ‘forward’.

G

Galleon – A large, squarish ship used in war or to carry cargo.

Gangway – ‘Clear a path.’

Grog – Rum mixed with water or any kind of alcohol.

Grub – Food

H

Hands – Crewmen.

Haven – A safe place.

Heave to – To change the direction of the ship so it is facing forwards into the wind.

Hold – The space in a ship where cargo or prisoners were kept.

Hornpipe – A dance or a single reeded musical instrument.

Hornswaggle – To cheat.

Hornswaggler – A person who cheats.

Hulk – The old, dismantled body of a ship, sometimes used as prisons.

Hull – The body of a ship, not including the masts and rigging.

J

Jack Tar – Sailor

Jolly Roger – The pirate flag - a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

K

Keel – The main framework of a ship that runs from the front to the back at the bottom of the ship.

Keelhaul – To pull somebody under the keel of a ship. Done by using ropes and often as a form of punishment.

L

Lad – Young man.

Land ahoy! – ‘I see land.’

Land lubber or lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

Lass – Young woman.

Leg Irons – Wide rings of metal that were attached to each other and fastened around prisoner’s ankles.

Loot – Gold and riches usually stolen.

Lubber or land lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

M

Marooned – Left alone, usually on a deserted island.

Mast – The upright pole on a ship that the sails and ropes are attached to.

Mate or Matey – Friend

Me – Used instead of ‘my’.

Me beauty – How ye would address a pretty lady or something important to you.

Me hearties – Friends

Merchant Ship – A ship carrying cargo to be sold.

Mutiny – When a ship’s crew refuse to follow the captain’s orders.

N

New World - America

P

Peg leg – An artificial leg, usually wooden.

Pieces of Eight – An old Spanish silver coin.

Pirate – A ‘robber of the sea’.

Plunder – To steal.

Poop deck – The floor that is also the roof of a cabin built on the upper deck.

Poop cabin – A room built on the top deck of a ship, often the Captain’s.

Port – The left side when facing the ship’s pointy end, also a strong alcoholic drink, and the area of land next to where ships are left when the pirates go ashore.

Privateer – English, French or Dutch sailors allowed by their Government to attack enemy ships.

Prow – The pointy end of a ship.

Q

Quartermaster – The sailor second-in-charge to the Captain.

R

Rigging – The ropes, mast and sails on a ship.

S

Salt or Old Salt – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Sea dog – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Scurvy – A disease many sailors got because they didn’t eat enough vitamin C.

Scuttle – To make a hole in a ship’s hull or to sink the ship.

Shanty – A seafaring song.

Shipshape – To be neat and tidy.

Shiver me timbers – ‘What a surprise.’

Sink me – ‘What a surprise.’

Smartly – Quickly

Starboard – The right side of the ship (if ye are facing the pointed end).

Swab – To clean something or a name for somebody ye don’t like very much.

Swag – Gold and riches.

T

To be three sheets to the wind – To have three sheets to the wind too much alcohol.

Titivate – To clean up and make neat.

W

Walk the plank – To be forced to walk along and off the end of a plank that has been placed over the side of a ship.

Weevil – A kind of beetle that can eat your food before ye do.

Weigh anchor – To lift the anchor and be ready to sail.

Y

Ye – Used instead of ‘you’.

Yer – Used instead of ‘your’.

Addled
Mad, insane, or just stupid. An "addlepate" is a fool.
Aft Short for "after." Toward the rear of the ship.
Ahoy Hello!
Avast! Hey! Could also be used as "Stop that!" or "Who goes there?"
Begad! By God!
Belay Avast Ye! that. "Belay that talk!" would mean "Shut up!"
Bilge! Nonsense, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater—or just "bilge."
Bilge-sucking A very uncomplimentary adjective.
Black Spot

To "place the Black Spot" on another pirate is to sentence him to death, to warn him he is marked for death, or sometimes just to accuse him of a serious crime before other pirates.
Blaggard Blackguard. An insult.
Blimey! An exclamation of surprise.
Booty Loot.
Bosun Boatswain, a petty officer.
Bucko Familiar term. "Me bucko" = "my friend."
Cap'n Short for "captain."
Cat o'nine tails A whip with many lashes, used for flogging. "A taste of the cat" might refer to a full flogging, or just a single blow to "smarten up" a recalcitrant hand.
Chantey A sailor's work song. Also spelled "shantey" or "shanty."
Corsair A more romantic term for pirate. But still a pirate.
Davy Jones' locker The bottom of the sea.
Deadlights Eyes. "Use yer deadlights, matey!"
Dead men tell no tales Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors.
Dog A mild insult, perhaps even a friendly one.
Doubloon A Spanish gold coin. At different times, it was worth either 4 or 16 silver pesos, or "pieces of eight."
Fair winds!

Goodbye, good luck!
Feed the fish What ye do when ye are thrown into the sea, dead or alive.
Gangway! "Get out of my way!"
Godspeed! Goodbye, good luck!
Grub Food.
Fore, or forrard Toward the front end of the ship.
Flogging Punishment by caning, or by whipping with the cat.
Hands The crew of a ship; sailors.
Handsomely Quickly. "Handsomely now, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Jack Ketch The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jollyboat

A small but happy craft, perhaps even one which is a little dinghy.
Jolly Roger The pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag. It was an invitation to surrender, with the implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated "no quarter."
Keelhaul Punishment by dragging under the ship, from one side to the other. The victim of a keelhauling would be half-drowned, or worse, and lacerated by the barnacles that grew beneath the ship.
Kiss the gunner's daughter A punishment: to be bent over one of the ship's guns and flogged.
Lad, lass, lassie A way to address someone younger than you.
Landlubber or just lubber A non-sailor.
Lights Lungs. A pirate might threaten to "have someone's lights and liver."
Line A rope in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line. When a rope is just coiled up on deck, not yet being used for anything, it's all right to call it a rope.
Lookout Someone posted to keep watch on the horizon for other ships or signs of land.
Maroon A common punishment for violation of a pirate ship's articles, or offending her crew. The victim was left on a deserted coast (or, island) with few supplies. That way, no one could say that the unlucky pirate had actually been killed by his former brethren.
Me A piratical way to say "my."
Me hearties Typical way for a pirate leader to address his crew.
Matey A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if not necessarily friendly, fashion.
No quarter! Surrender will not be accepted.
Piece of eight

A Spanish silver coin worth one peso or 8 reales. It was sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
Pillage To raid, rob, and sack a target ashore.
Pirate A seagoing robber and murderer. Contrast with privateer.
Poop deck The highest deck at the aft end of a large ship. Smaller ships don't have a poop; the highest part aft is the quarterdeck.
Poxy, poxed Diseased. Used as an insult.
Rope's end Another term for flogging. "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
Rum (noun) Traditional pirate drink.
Rum (adjective) Strange or odd. A "rum fellow" is a peculiar person, the sort who won't say "Arrrr!" on Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Sail ho! "I see a ship!" The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
Salt, old salt An experienced seaman.
Scurvy (1) A deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C, often afflicting sailors;
(2) A derogatory adjective for an epithet, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
Sea dog An experienced seaman.
Shanty Another spelling for "chantey" - a sea song.
Shark bait

(1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.).
(2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
Shiver me timbers! An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! An expression of surprise.
Smartly

Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Splice the mainbrace To have a drink. Or, perhaps, several drinks.
Spyglass A telescope.
Starboard The right side of the ship when ye are facing toward her prow.
Sutler A merchant in port, selling what a ship needed for supplies and repairs.
Swab (noun) A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
Swab (verb) To clean something. "Swabbing the decks" would be a mild penalty for a disobedient pirate.
Swag Loot.
Wench An individual of the female persuasion. "Saucy" is a good adjective to add to this, and if ye can get away with "Me proud beauty,” more power to ye!
Yo-ho-ho

Thar be a bunch o’ words an’ sayin’s used by salty old sea dogs that don’t make much sense to a landsman, so here’s a few of ‘em to help yer get yer sea legs.
ABBEY LUBBER : A loiterer that could work but will not.

ABEAM : The direction at right angles to the hull. To either side of the ship

ABLE SEAMAN : A skilled sailor

ABRAHAM MEN : Vagabonds that beg by pretendin’ to ‘ave been discharged with no money from ships.

ADDLE : Putrid water in the water barrels.

ADRIFT : Floating about out of control.

ADVENTURE : An enterprise in which something is risked or left to chance.

AFEARD : A common way of saying afraid.

AFT. or Abaft : The direction towards the stern of the ship. That’s the “back” for land-lubbers.

AHOY : A shout used to get someone’s attention.

ALOFT : The top part of the masts and rigging.

AMBUSH : Hiding so as to attack without warnin’.

ARRR : A multipurpose mostly positive exclamation not to be confused with ARRRGH which is usually negative.

ARTHUR : A well known sea game.

ARTICLES : A set of rules which govern pirate’s behaviour on a vessel.

A SHORT DROP AND A QUICK STOP : A reference to hanging.

AURORA : The faint light seen before sunrise.

AVAST : Stop, hold, cease or desist. AVAST YE SCURVY DOGS : Avast Ye! that now or there’ll be trouble.

AYE : A way of sayin’ yes. AYE AYE : A way of sayin’ aye to someone that’s a bit deaf.
BACK-O’-BEYOND : A long way from anywhere. Usually where ye don’t want t’ be

BACK-STAFF : A tool the navigator uses to work out how high the sun is in the sky. Helps ‘im work out where we are, while everybody else is scratching their heads.

BALLAST : Heavy stuff in the hold of the ship to keep her steady.

BARKING IRONS : Large duelling pistols.

BARNACLE : A type of shell fish that sticks to the bottom of the ship's hull. If too many get attached they’ll slow the ship down so they need to be scraped off regularly.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Means cover the hatches to the lower decks with canvas during a storm to avast ye! water from getting belowdecks.

BEATING : Sailin’ towards the wind in a zig zag line.

BEATING THE BOOBY : Slapping of hands around your arms to warm your self up on a cold watch.

BECALMED : Not able to sail because thar is no wind.

BEFORE THE MAST : The station of a sailor that is not an officer.

BELAY : To secure, tie up or make fast, often another way of sayin’ stop.

BELAYING PIN : A wooden rod sitting in a hole on the rail that a rope can be tied to temporarily. A useful improvised weapon aboard a sailing ship because they’re everywhere and just right for a club.

BELL : Every half hour of a four hour watch the ship’s bell is rung to show how many half hours have passed. If an hour has past it would be rung twice and we would say the time was “two bells” of that watch.

BILBOES : A method of securing captives by means of a metal bar to which shackles be fixed. This is what we means when we say “Clap him in irons.”

BILGE : The lowest part of the ship. Wet, musty and full of rats.

BLACK JACK : Another name for a pirate flag.

BLACK SPOT : A black mark on a piece of paper that means “We’re going to get ya” or somethin’ like that.

BLEEDING THE MONKEY : Stealin’ the grog.

BLETHERING : Talking nonsense.

BLOODY FLAG : A red flag we use to say ”We’re goin’ to kill the lot of yer.”

BLOW THE GAFF : Givin’ away a secret or informin’.

BLUNDERBUSS : A short fire arm with a wide mouth that scatters musket balls over a wide area.

BOSUN (also Boatswain) : An officer on the ship who is in charge of the ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew.

BOOM : A long spar extending from the mast to extend the foot of a sail. Also the sound a cannon makes when fired at the enemy.

BOOTY : That be booty to ye or me.

BOREAS : A name for the North wind.

BOW : The front of the ship or boat.

BOW CHASERS : A pair of guns mounted in the bow to fire directly ahead.

BOWSPRIT : The slanted spar that sticks out over the bow of the ship and is used to support the fore-mast and spread the fore stay sail.

BRIGANTINE or Brig : A two-masted ship, square-rigged on both masts.

BROAD ARROW : The British royal mark for government stores.

BROADSIDE : Side by side with another ship, a good place to be if ye have more guns than them, a very bad place to be if they have more than you. A “Broadside" has come to mean firing all the cannon on one side of one ship into the side of another.

BUCCANEER : A pirate, especially one that preyed on Spanish shipping in the West Indies during the 17th century.

BULLYRAG : Insulting in a noisy threatening way.

BURGOO : A dish made of boiled oat-meal seasoned with salt, butter and sugar.

BUTTER FINGERED : Careless, clumsy and likely to drop things.

BY THE WIND : Sailin’ in the same direction as the wind’s blowin’.
CABIN : What land-lubber would call a “room” on a ship.

CABLE : A heavy rope or chain often used for mooring or anchoring a ship.

CABLE’S LENGTH : A measure of about 100 fathoms and used to estimate the distances of ships in a fleet.

CACKLE FRUIT : Hen’s eggs

CAESAR’S PENNY : The tip given by a recruiting sergeant. Taking this money meant ye had received your first payment and therefor were recruited into service and could not refuse.

CALALOO : A dish of fish and vegetables.

CANISTER SHOT or Case shot : A package of small iron balls loaded into a gun to be used against sailors without causing too much damage to the ship.

CANVAS : A cloth made from hemp and used for the sails. A ship in motion by her sails is said to be “Under canvas.”

CAPTAIN or Cap’n : The master of the ship. A pirate captain was voted into command by the crew and had absolute authority in battle and ruled by consent at other times, assisted by the Quartermaster.

CAPSTAN : A winch used for hauling heavy weights like the anchor. A vertical cylinder with handles that is rotated manually by several of the crew and around which a cable is wound.

CARDINAL POINTS : The general name for the north, east, south and west points on the horizon.

CAREENING : Taking the ship into shallow waters or out of the water altogether to scrape off barnacles, weed and all the other pesky stuff that likes to grow on the bottom of the hull. It’s a tough job but it has to be done if we want to keep the ship moving fast in the water.

CARPENTER : A skilled crew member in charge of repairing all wooden parts of a ship. As most of the ship is made of wood that makes him a very important person to have of board a pirate ship.

CASK : A barrel for liquid or solid provisions.

CAST-AWAY : Shipwrecked.

CAT O'NINE TAILS or Cat : A whip with nine lashes used for flogging, a punishment much used by the British Navy. Sometime made by untwisting a three strand rope and re-laying it into the nine strands.

CAULKING : Oakum or old rope jammed into cracks in the ships hull and treated with pitch to waterproof it.

CHAIN SHOT : Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high to cut the masts and rigging of a ship.

CHART or Sea chart : What some lubbers would call a map and not likely to be marked with an X that’s for sure.

CHASE GUN : A cannon mounted at the bow of the ship, used when chasing another ship.

CHIVEY : A knife.

CHOWDER : A stew of codfish, salt pork, biscuit and lots of pepper.

CHOWDER-HEADED or Chuckle-headed : Stupid or foolish.

CHRISTIAN : A Danish gold coin.

CLOSE-HAULED or Close to the wind : A ship sailing as much towards the wind as she can.

COCKED HAT : A three cornered hat with it’s brim turned up at the sides. Also called a Tricorne.

CODGER : An easy going but steady man, one that will not move faster than he pleases.

COD-LINE : A light line.

COLOURS : The flags or banners that mark ships of different nations. Pirates often flew false colours to get close to their targets before raising the black jack.

COMBING THE CAT : The Bosun running his fingers through the cat o'nine tails to separate them.

COMPASS : An instrument with a magnetic needle that points towards the North. It is marked with the cardinal points, north, east, south and west and then further divided into thirty two points in all. Modern compasses are divided into 360 points or degrees.

CONTRABAND : Cargo forbidden by law to be supplied to an enemy. A profitable trade for pirates.

COOPER : A skilled crew member in charge of making, repairing and taking apart barrels for storage.

CORDAGE : A general term for the running rigging of a ship and any rope kept in reserve.

CORSAIR : A pirate operating around the Mediterranean Sea.

COT : A wooden framed bed suspended from the beams of the ship for the officers. Slightly more comfortable than the hammocks used by the crew.

COXSWAIN or Coxson: The person who steers a ship's ship and is in charge of its crew.

CROW'S NEST : A small platform, near the top of a mast. A good place to watch out for other ships or land.

CUTLASS : A short sword used for fighting on board ships.
DANCE THE HEMPEN JIG : To be hanged. The fate waitin’ for many a pirate.

DAVY JONES : The dark spirit of the sea. DAVY JONES’S LOCKER : The bottom of the sea where nothing is lost because ye know where it is. Where everything thrown overboard ends up, including the bodies of sailors buried at sea.

DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES : A good reason for leavin’ no survivors.

DEAD RECKONING : Estimating a ship’s position by working out speed and direction of travel. Not as accurate as using astronomical methods.

DITTY BAG : A small duffle bag used by a crewman to store their personal equipment and belongings.

DITTY BOX : A small box or chest for holding a seaman’s valuables.

DOG’S BODY : Dried peas boiled in a cloth.

DOUBLE DUTCH : Gibberish or any unintelligible language.

DOUBLOON : A golden Spanish coin. Worth about seven week's pay to an average sailor.

DRAFT : The depth of a ship’s keel below the water line. The depth of water needed to float a vessel.

DUDS : Clothing, and not very good clothing at that.
EAGLE or Spread Eagle : A punishment where the offender is tied hand and foot to the rigging and left thar for a while.

St. ELMO’S FIRE : Electric light seen flickering about the masts, yard arms and rigging during a storm.

EYE OF THE WIND : Where the wind is blowing from.
FATHOM : The full reach of a cack-handed deck ape with arms extended. A measure of six feet used to mark the depth of water using a lead or sounding line.

FILIBUSTER : A Spanish word for pirate. Trust them to have a fancy word for it.

FORE : The direction towards the stem of the ship. For land-lubbers, that’s the “front”.

FORECASTLE : The part of the upper deck forward of the foremast. Often this was was a built up section where some of the crew is housed.

FOREMAST : The foremost mast of the ship.

FURL : To roll up and secure. Usually referring to the sails.

FUTTOCK : A curved timber that forms a rib in the frame of a ship. One o’ the bits yer trip over.
GALLEON : A large Spanish merchant ship. Often full o’ booty, sometimes loaded with cannons. A bit old fashioned by the 18th Century.

GANGPLANK : A removable board or ramp used to board a ship from a pier.

GANGWAY : A passage along either side of a ship's upper deck that should be kept clear to move on at all times. Shouting “Gangway” is a good way to tell people they are in your way.

GIBBET : Chains or cages in which the rotting corpses of hung pirates are displayed in order to discourage piracy.

GO ON ACCOUNT : A gentlemanly way of sayin’ “I’ve become a pirate.”

GRAPE or Grapeshot : Small balls of lead or iron fired in quantity from a cannon. Makes a mess of soft targets like sails or people without damaging the ship too much.

GRENADE : An iron pot with a fuze, filled with gunpowder. Thrown onto the enemies decks before boarding.

GROG : Rum, sometimes mixed with water. Feelin’ “Groggy” is what ‘appens when yer drinks too much of it.

GUN : A cannon, not to be confused with a pistol or a musket.

GUNWALE or Gunnel : Originally the upper plank on the hull, binding the frame together. A term often used for the side of the ship, as in “Throw that bilge rat over the gunwale.”
HAIL : To call another vessel, usually to ask where she comes from and where she’s going. A traditional pirate hail is “Hove-to or we’ll blow ye out of the water.”

HALYARD : A line used to hoist a sail, spar, or flag

HANDS : The crew of the ship.

HARDTACK or Sea biscuit : A hard biscuit made from flour and water baked solid so it can be stored for a long time. Often full o’ weevils an’ maggots. Better than eating bilge rats, but not by much.

HEAVE-TO or Hove-to : Slowing the ship down and fixing its course. Often called out as an order from one ship to another, demanding the other ship strike sails and avast ye! moving in order to be boarded.

HEMPEN HARNESS : The hangman’s noose.

HOGSHEAD : A large barrel holding about a hundred gallons used for the shipment of wines and spirits.

HOLYSTONE or Bible : A stone used for scouring the wooden decks of a ship. About the size of an old Bible and used by sailors on their knees, hence the name.

HOLD : The interior of the hull below the decks.

HOVE-TO : Avast Ye! a ship from moving in the water.

HULL : The body of the ship, the bit that floats on the water below the masts, rigging and sails.
IMPRESS : To force into service. If thar weren’t enough willing to join a crew, others were recruited by force. A method often used by the British Navy.

IRONS or Bilboes : Long bars on which shackles are fixed with a lock at the end. Used for holding the legs of prisoners for as long as ye need to.
JACK : The British Union flag but also Jack or Jack Tar are familiar terms for an ordinary sailor.

JIB : A triangular sail in the forward part of the ship's rig and in small craft like sloops it is attached to the bowsprit or the bow.

JOLLY ROGER : A pirate flag often black an’ showing the skull-and-crossbones. Hoisted aloft it says “You’d better surrender because we’ll be annoyed if ye don’t.” A red flag says "We’re annoyed now an’ we’re going to make ye walk the plank all."

JURY-RIGGED : A ship fitted with temporary rigging, masts or sails when accident or attack has damaged the proper rig.
KEEL : The lowest timber of the ship's frame, running from Stem to Stern.

KEEL-HAULING : A horrific punishment where the victim is dragged under the ship with ropes attached to the other side of the hull. Not only was thar a good chance of drowning but the barnacles and other encrustations on the hull would cause terrible abrasions as the victim was hauled under.

KNOT : A measure of the ship’s speed made by counting the knots on a log-line paid out to a float for thirty seconds. A ship travelling at 8 knots is moving 8 nautical miles an hour.
LADDER : What an land-lubber would call “stairs” between decks on a ship.

LANDSMAN : A new recruit that has never been to sea before.

LANYARD : A short rope or cord used for hanging or securing something.

LEAGUE : A distance of three nautical miles.

LETTER OF MARQUE : A document given to a captain allowing him to attack enemy ships under the authority of the crown, in return for a cut of the loot. It makes a pirate sort of legal if you’re on the right side.

LINE : What a Land Lubber would call “a rope” in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line.

LOADED TO THE GUNNELLS : Drunk as can be. Not fit to sail a ship that’s for sure.

LOG : A record of the ship's course, progress, and any events of navigational importance.

LOG-LINE : A knotted length of line with a piece of wood at the end which is thrown into the water to determine how many "knots" run out in thirty seconds. See Knot.

LONG BOAT : A large ship carried by a ship which is used to move loads such as anchors, chains, ropes, or loot.

LONG CLOTHES : The type of clothing worn on land.

LOOKOUT : A crew member posted to keep watch, often from the crow’s nest, for other ships or signs of land.

LOOT : Stolen stuff.

LUBBER : An awkward, clumsy, unseamanlike fellow. LAND-LUBBER : The worst kind of Lubber, one that’s never even been to sea before.
MAIN-MAST : The largest and most central mast of the ship.

MAN-OF-WAR : A warship designed and equipped for battle

MARLINSPIKE : An iron pointed tool used to separate the strands of a rope for splicing

MAROONING : Abandoning a person on a deserted coast or island with very few supplies. Usually resulting in a slow death by starvation or thirst. If ye were rescued you’d probably be hung because people presumed ye were a pirate.

MAKE FAST : Tying or securing ropes. Fast is usually used in the sense of “fasten” on ship.

MIZEN-MAST: The aftermost mast of the ship. The one at the “back” for the land-lubbers

MUTINY : Revolt or determined disobedience on a ship. Punishable by death in the British Navy.
NAVIGATOR : A crew member skilled in the art of navigation. Combining seamanship and knowledge of nautical astronomy. A skilled navigator could guide a ship from port to port often with no sight of land for months on end.

NEWGATE BIRDS : Men sent to serve on British Navy ships in place of serving a sentence in prison.

NO PREY, NO PAY : This means ye won’t get paid unless we capture some ships.
OAKUM : The remains of old ropes that have become untwisted or picked to pieces, sometimes called “tow”. This material was often used to stuff into cracks in the ship’s hull with tar to seal it from water.

ORLOP: The lowest deck, immediately above the hold.
PAINTER : A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her fast.

PIECES OF EIGHT : Spanish silver coins worth eight "reales.," could be cut into eight pieces, each worth one reale.

PINNACE : A light ship propelled by sails or oars, used for travelling between ship and shore.

PIRACY or Pyracy : Robbery at sea.

PIRATE or Pyrate : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without letters of marque.

PIRATE ROUND : A route from North America to the Indian Ocean taking advantage of seasonal winds and trade.

PISTOL PROOF : Very lucky, the sort of fellow that always seems to make the right choices.

PLUNDER : To rob, steal and generally make of with everybody’s loot.

POOP DECK : The uppermost deck at the stern of a ship, usually above the captain’s quarters.

PORT : A seaport or the left side of the ship which is normally the side ye bring in to port.

POWDER MONKEY : A crew member whose job during battle was to run back and forth from the ship's powder hold carrying black powder for the guns.

PRESSGANG : A company of men sent a’shore to force men into service on a ship, usually a Navy one but sometimes a pirate ship.

PRIVATEER : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea with letters of marque from a government.

PRIZE : A captured ship and its cargo.

PROW : For the lubbers that’s the pointy bit at the front of the ship.

PURSER : An officer on a ship responsible for provisions and clothing. Such provisions were often sold to sailors on credit against their next payment which meant the sailors never actually managed to keep any of their money when they were finally paid.
QUADRANT : A navigation tool used to measure the altitude of the sun. Largely replaced by the back-staff.

QUARTER : If we offer ye quarter it means we’ll treat ye well if ye surrender. If we say “No Quarter” it means we’ll kill the lot of yer.

QUARTER-DECK : The uppermost deck abaft the main mast. The “sticky up bit at the back” for the land-lubbers.

QUARTER-MASTER : On pirate ships the quartermaster was responsible for stores, provisions and booty. In most cases he was second in charge to the captain.
RAMSHACKLE : Out of repair, disorderly.

RATLINE : Horizontal lines run along the shrouds to form a ladder for the crew to use in getting up into the rigging.

REEF - An underwater obstacle of rock or coral that will tear a great hole in the bottom of the ship if ye hit it. Also “to reef the sails” means tying them up a bit to reduce to area of sail in a strong wind.

RIGGING : Any or all of the ropes or chains used to support the masts and arrange the sails. Those that are “standing” are fixed, while those that are “running” are used to adjust the yards and sails.

RIG OF A SHIP : The set of masts, ropes and sails that makes up the true character of a ship.

ROPE : Is made of hemp or other stuff, spun into yarns and strands and twisted together into cordage. When it is put to use in the rigging it is then called a line, not a rope. If a rope is just coiled up on deck, not being used for anything, then ye can call it a rope, not a line.

RUTTER : A book of charts, a journal, log book or set of sailing instructions used by a navigator.
SALMAGUNGI : A savoury dish made of cured fish and onions.

SCUPPERS : Vents on a ship's deck that allow water to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" means get rid of something by chucking it overboard.

SCURVY : A common disease among sailors caused by vitamin C deficiency causing spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin and extreme weakness. This lead to the British Navy giving their crews lime juice and being called “limeys” by the American sailors.

SCUTTLE : To deliberately sink a ship by making a hole in the hull.

SEA LEGS : A cack-handed deck ape is said to have his sea legs when he can stand steady on the deck of a ship pitching and rolling on the waves. Sometimes a sailor, used to this motion, takes a while to get his land legs back when he goes a’shore which makes him swagger a bit as he walks.

SHEET : A line running from the bottom corner of a sail so ye can adjust it for the wind

SHROUDS : Part of the standing rigging used to support the masts.

SLOOP : A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged ship much favoured by pirates because of its speed, shallow draught and fast turning ability.

SLOW MATCH : A cord of braided hemp, often infused with saltpetre, that burned slowly like a candle wick and was applied to powder in the touch hole of a cannon in order to fire it.

SOUNDING LINE or lead : An instrument for measuring the depth of the water, a line with a lead weight on the end and marked in fathoms.

SPANKER : A fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff. The aftermost sail of a ship sometimes called the driver.

SQUARE-RIGGED : Fitted mostly with square sails.

STARBOARD : The right side of the ship when ye are facing forward. Opposite side to port.

STARTING ROPE : A short length of heavy rope with a knot in the end that the Bosun uses to beat crew members to make them work harder.

STEM : The foremost timber of the frame.

STERN : The aftermost part of the ship. That’s the back for the lubbers.

STERN CHASER
STINK POT
STRIKE COLORS
SWAB
SWIVEL GUN
TAR
TARPAULIN
TELL-TALE
THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND
TOGS
TOP SAILS
UPPER DECK
VENT
VOLLEY
WALKING THE PLANK
WATCH FIRST WATCH MIDDLE WATCH MORNING WATCH FORENOON WATCH AFTERNOON WATCH DOG WATCHES

WATCH GLASS
WEIGH ANCHOR
X MARKS THE SPOT
YARD
YELLOW JACK
pirate

Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer


Introduction
Pirate sayings, quotes, terms, language and funny slang are featured here. Feel free to copy and spam paste any of them.. Good luck to every Gaians

ok now, be a good laddy or lassie and spam em pirates sayin' arrrrr~


Pirate Saying
Prepare to be boarded!
Swab My Deck, Wench.
I'll swab your poop deck.
Honk if you like my booty.
Surrrrrender the booty!
Save a ship. Ride a pirate.
Me buried treasure is in me pocket.
Ahoy Boys!
Vacation equals Arrrrrr N Arrrrrr
Avast! Pull Me Mast!
Shut Ye Pie Hole, I'm Diving in Ye Bung Hole
Rubbers are for land lubbers
I've hit the Mother-load! (and the daughter-load)
Wench Press
Ye want to see me Cockswain?
Walk the plank, wench, and then ride it.
Pirates do it harrrrrder!
Touch my loot, feel my boot.
Touch me parrot, me bite your carrot.
Save thee Bilge rats!
Let's drink grog before the fog.
Shiver me timbers! Me wooden leg has termites.
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, me Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - stop and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the man down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Knotted Rope
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do you understand and do you agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to you with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone you don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly drunk and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention

Pirate Quotes
I'm a pirate. I'm my own captain.
A friend can betray you, but an enemy will always stay the same.
Land was created to provide a place for boats to visit.
If ye can't trust a pirate, ye damn well can't trust a merchant either.
A pirate is for life, not just for Christmas.
Take what you can, give nothing back.
If ye thinks he be ready to sail a beauty, ye better be willin' to sink with her.
There comes a time in most men's lives where they feel the need to raise the Black Flag.
It is when pirates count their booty that they become mere thieves.
The existence of the sea means the existence of pirates.
Even pirates, before they attack another ship, hoist a black flag.
The average man will bristle if you say his father was dishonest, but he will brag a little if he discovers that his great-grandfather was a pirate.
I've been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, A poet, a pawn and a king; I've been up and down and over and out, And I know one thing; Each time I find myself flat on my face, I pick myself up and get back in the race.
Dead men don't tell tales.
See you in Davie Jones' Locker.
Ye can swab the poop deck, but ye can't poop on the swab deck.

A) Abandon, Abuse, Accessory, Activity, Adventure, Afloat, Aft, Agile, Ahoy, Altercation, Anchor, Anticipation, Appeal, Artifact, Ashore, Assault, Astonishing, Attack, Audacious, Authorities, Authority, Aye
B) Bad luck, Bandolier, Barbaric, Barbarossa (Arouj & Khair-ed-Din), Barefoot, Barrel, Battle, Beached, Beacon, Becalm, Behead, Billow, Billy Bones, Black, Black Bart, Black Beard (Edward Teach), Blacksmith, Bloodthirsty, Bloody, Blunderbuss, Boarding, Boastful, Bollix, Bonanza, Booty, Bounty, Bowsprit, Brass, Bravery, Brawl, Brawny, Brutality, Buccaneer, Bullion, Bully, Bungle, Burn, Bury
C) Calico Jack, Campeche, Cannon, Cannon fuse, Capsize, Captain, Captain Kidd, Captain Kidd, Capture, Cargo, Cargo, Caribbean, Cave, Celebrations, Challenge, Chantey, Chaos, Charge, Charm, Chest, Circuit, Coast, Coastline, Cockroach, Code, Companion, Compass, Competition, Confiscate, Conquest, Contemptuous, Contraband, Corpse, Course, Crate, Crew, Criminal, Crossbones, Cruel, Cunning, Curse, Cutlass, Cutthroat
D) Dagger, Dangerous, Dare, Daring, Debauchery, Decapitate, Deck, Defiant, Discovery, Disease, Disguise, Dishonest, Disreputable, Distant, Dominate, Doubloon, Dysentery
E) Encrusted, Episode, Escape, Evidence, Evil, Exile, Expedition, Exploit, Explore, Explosion, Eye patch
F) Failure, Fantasy, Fear, Fearsome, Feast, Feat, Ferocious, Fest, Fierce, Fighting, Fire, Flag, Flagship, Fleet, Fortune, Frightening, Furl
G) Galleon, Gang plank, Gangs, Garb, Gear, Gibbet, Glimpse, Glitter, Gold, Goods, Greedy, Grim, Grog, Gunfire, Gunpowder, Gusto
H) Hanging, Harass, Haul, Havoc, Heave-ho, Heist, Heroes, Hex, Hidden, High seas, Hijack, Hispaniola, Historic, Hoist, Hold, Hollering, Horizon, Hostile, Hunt, Hurricane
I) Ill-gotten, Illegal, Image, Impact, Incident, Infamous, Infested, Injury, Instigate, Insubordinate, Insurrection, International, Intrepid, Islands
J) Jagged, Jeopardize, Jettison, Jetty, Jewelry, Jewels, Jolly Roger
K) Kidnap, Kill, Kingdom, Knack
L) Lad, Land, Land-ho!, Landlubber, Lash, Lawless, Legacy, Legend, Loathe, Long John Silver, Lookout, Loot, Lore, Loyalty, Lucre, Lure
M) Maggots, Malaria, Map, Marauder, Mariner, Maritime, Maroon, Marsh, Mate, Mayhem, Menace, Merchants, Mockery, Moonlit, Musket, Mutiny
N) Nautical, Navigate, New World, Notorious
O) Old salt, Ominous, One leg, Onslaught, Opulence, Outrank, Overboard
P) Parrot, Party, Peg-leg, Pieces of eight, Pierce, Pillage, Piracy, Pistol, Pitch-dark, Plank, Plunder, Power, Precarious, Predatory, Prey, Privateer, Prize, Prowl, Pursuit, Putrid
Q) Quarters, Quest
R) Raid, Rake, Ransack, Ransom, Rats, Ravage, Reactions, Realm, Rebellion, Reckoning, Reek, Region, Relentless, Remote, Reports, Rescue, Revenge, Revolt, Riches, Riotous, Risk, Roam, Rogue, Romanticize, Rope, Rudder, Ruffian, Rum, Ruthless
S) Sabotage, Sack full, Sailor, Salt junk, Scalawag, Scavenge, Scoundrel, Sea port, Sea-chest, Seafarer, Seagull, Search, Seaweed, Secrecy, Seek, Seize, Sever, Sextant, Ship, Shiver-me-timbers, Shore, Silver, Skiff, Skull n' bones, Slaughter, Sliver, Smuggle, Snatch, Splash, Spoils, Square-rigged, Stab, Stagger, Stash, Stockade, Strut, Surrender, Survive, Swab, Swagger, Swashbuckling, Swindle, Swoon, Sword
T) Tales, Target, Teak, Telescope, Temper, Tempestuous, Terrorize, Thievery, Thug, Tides, Torture, Trade, Trappings, Travel, Treacherous, Treasure, Triangular trade, Truce, Tyrant
U) Unfurl, Unique, Unkempt, Unlawful, Unscrupulous, Untrustworthy, Unusual
V) Vagrant, Valiant, Valor, Valuables, Vandalize, Vanquish, Vantage, Venture, Vessel, Vicious, Vigilant, Vile, Voyage
W) Wander, Warning, Warring, Wealth, Weapons, Weather, Wharf, Whip, White handkerchief, Wicked, Widow's walk, Wild, Wily, Wreck, Wrong
X) X marks the spot
Y) Yellow fever, Yo-ho-ho
Z) Zeal, Zealous, Zest


Pirate Basics
Here are 5 words or phrases that no pirate can live without.
Ahoy! - “Hello!”
Avast! - Stop and give attention. It can be used in a sense of surprise, “Whoa! Get a load of that!”
which today makes it more of a “Check it out” or “No way!” or “Get off!”
Aye! - “Why yes, I agree most heartily with everything you just said or did.”
Aye aye! - “I’ll get right on that sir, as soon as my break is over.”
Arrr! - This one is often confused with arrrgh, which is of course the sound you make when you
sit on a belaying pin. “Arrr!” can mean, variously, “yes,” “I agree,” “I’m happy,” “I’m enjoying
this beer,” “My team is going to win it all,” “I saw that television show, it sucked!” and
“That was a clever remark you or I just made.” And those are just a few of the myriad
possibilities of Arrr!
Advanced Pirate Lingo
Once you’ve mastered the basics (see above), here is a glossary to help build your pirate vocabulary and fit in at The
Salty Sea Dog.

A
aft - At, in, toward, or close to the stern of a ship.
ahoy - An interjection used to hail a ship or a person or to attract attention. (see above)
American Main - The eastern coastal lands of North America.
Arr! - An exclamation. (see above)
avast - A command meaning stop or desist. (see above)
aye (or ay) - Yes; an affirmation. (see above)
ahoy anchor arms asea attack aye-aye air angle angler ambush area azure azurite arm ash art amber alcohol arc arch ark amplitude anger angry armor armour axe ax attic after aft acquire

B
bilge - (1) The lowest part inside the ship, within the hull itself which is the first place to show
signs of leakage. The bilge is often dank and musty, and considered the most filthy, dead
space of a ship. (2) Nonsense, or foolish talk.
bilged on her anchor - A ship holed or pierced by its own anchor.
bilge rat - (1) A rat living in the bilge of a ship. It is considered the lowliest creature by
pirates, but many pirates take to eating the animals to survive. (2) An insulting
name given by a pirate.
Pirate Words and Phrases
Murder Among THe Mateys
black spot - A black smudge on a piece of paper used by pirates as a threat. A black spot is often accompanied
by a written message specifying the threat. Most often a black spot represents
a death threat.
Blimey! - An exclamation of surprise.
blow the man down - To kill someone.
booty - Treasure.
bounty - Reward or payment, usually from a government, for the capture of a criminal, specifically
a pirate.
bring a spring upon her cable - To come around in a different direction.
broadside - a general term for the vantage on another ship of absolute perpendicular to the direction
it is going. To get along broadside a ship was to take it at a very vulnerable angle. This
is of course, the largest dimension of a ship and is easiest to attack with larger arms. A
“Broadside” has come to indicate a hit with a cannon or similar attack right in the main
part of the ship.
bucko - A familiar term meaning friend.
bandanna battle boatswain bos'n buccaneer bird birdie bread beard beach bond bonded store boot booty break book black bad bush brush bind blind bend brandy brand blend bench bed bruise booze barrack barracks barrel barrels

C
carouser - One who drinks wassail and engages in festivity, especially riotous drinking.
case shot - A collection of small projectiles put in cases to fire from a cannon; a canister-shot.
Cat o’nine tails (or cat) - a whip with nine lashes used for flogging. “A taste of the cat” might refer to a full
flogging, or just a single blow to “smarten up” a recalcitrant hand.
Chain Shot - Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high in order to destroy masts and rigging.
chantey (also chanty, shantey or shanty) - A song sung by sailors to the rhythm of their movements while
working.
chase - A ship being pursued. ie: “The chase is making full sail, sir” translates to “The ship we’re
after is going as fast as she can.”
chase guns - cannon situated at the bow of a ship, used during pursuit.
clap of thunder - A strong, alcoholic drink.
clipper - A fast moving ship.
code of conduct - A set of rules which govern pirates behavior on a vessel.
coffer - A chest in which treasure is usually kept.
cog - A small warship.
come about - to bring the ship full way around in the wind. Used in general while sailing into the wind,
but also used to indicate a swing back into the enemy in combat.
crack Jennys tea cup - To spend the night in a house of ill repute.
cutlass - A short, heavy sword with a curved blade used by pirates and sailors. The sword
has only one cutting edge and may or may not have a useful point.
Murder Among THe Mateys
cannon captain coins corsair crew criminal crook crow's nest cutlass cook cabin capstan coil cold cool creek creak croak clock cloak clap chef chest chests cheat cleat clue cue

D
dance the hempen jig - To hang.
Davy Jones’ Locker - A fictional place at the bottom of the ocean. In short, a term meaning death. Davy Jones was said to sink every ship he ever over took, and thus, the watery grave
that awaited all who were sunk by him was given his name. To die at sea is to go to Davy Jones’ Locker.
deadlights - (1) Strong shutters or plates fastened over a ship’s porthole or cabin window in stormy
weather. (2) Thick windows set in a ship’s side or deck. (3) Eyes. ie: “Use yer deadlights,
matey!”
dead men tell no tales - Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors.
doubloon - A Spanish gold coin.
draft - The depth of a vessel’s keel below the water line, especially when loaded; the minimum
water depth necessary to float a ship.
draught (also draft) - (1) The amount taken in by a single act of drinking. (2) The drawing of a liquid, as from a cask or keg.
dagger deck deck hands desert island doubloon deckhand deckboy deck boy derrick drain dust dusty drug dough drool dagger drowse drowsy dark dolphin

E
earring eyepatch east coast eastern asia embark embarkation eerie elite eager egg end english esquire expert endure ear

F
fathom - A unit of length equal to six feet, used principally in the measurement and specification
of marine depths.
fire in the hole - A warning issued before a cannon is fired.
fire ship - A ship loaded with powder and tar then set afire and set adrift against enemy ships to
destroy them.
flogging - The act of beating a person severely with a rod or whip, especially the cat or the punishment
of being beaten. fight first mate flag fortune freight flue flour flower fell felt few flight fly free freak fast fall fringe feet foot fable fumble funnel flood flooding flooded fuse fig fish net forward fist feast freshwater fresh

G
gally - A low, flat vessel propelled partly, or wholly by oars.
gangplank - A board or ramp used as a removable footway between a ship and a pier.
gangway - (1) A passage along either side of a ships upper deck. (2) A gangplank. (3) An interjection
used to clear a passage through a crowded area.
gibbet (cage) - Chains in which the corpses of pirates are hung and displayed in order to discourage
piracy.
to go on account - A pleasant term used by pirates to describe the act of turning pirate. The basic idea
was that a pirate was more “free lance” and thus was, more or less, going into business
for himself.
grog (see also spirits) - An alcoholic liquor, especially rum diluted with water.
grog blossom - A redness on the nose or face of persons who drink ardent spirits
to excess.
gun - A cannon.
gunwalls - The sides of the top deck which act as a railing around the deck,
and have openings where heavy arms or guns are positioned.
gangplank gold gun gunner goon green gang gangway great growl guard guarding guards

H
hands - The crew of a ship; sailors.
handsomely - Quickly or carefully; in a shipshape style.
hang the jib - To pout or frown.
hearties - A term of familiar address and fellowship among sailors.
heave to - An interjection meaning to come to a halt.
hempen halter - The hangmans noose.
ho - Used to express surprise or joy, to attract attention to something sighted, or to urge onward
as in Land ho! or Westward ho!
hogshead - (1) A large cask used mainly for the shipment of wines and spirits. (2) A unit of measurement
equal to approximately one hundred gallons.
hornswaggle - to cheat
hook hull hand heel howl house hag hew how horn hard hen handy high hinge heist humble handle handling honor honour him her heat

I
island isle isles inlet inn inquire impress impressive irish imposter imposters impossible ink ice

J
jack - A flag, especially one flown at the bow of a ship to indicate her nationality.
Jack Ketch - The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jack Tar , or tar - A sailor.
Jolly Roger - A pirate flag depicting a skull-and-crossbones. It was an invitation to surrender, with the
implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated “no
quarter.”
Jolly Roger joust jewel jewellery jewelleries jack junk jungle juice jonk jail jumbo

K
keelhaul - To punish someone by dragging them under a ship, across the keel, until near-death or
death. Both pirates and the Royal Navy were fond of this practice.
killick - A small anchor, especially one made of a stone in a wooden frame.
keel keelhaul knife kelp kit kilt keen keep keeper knob know knowledge kaput knot knots

L
lad - A way to address a younger male.
landlubber or just lubber - A person unfamiliar with the sea or seamanship. The term doesn’t derive from
“land lover,” but rather from the root of lubber, meaning clumsy or uncoordinated. Thus,
a landlubber is one who is awkward at sea for familiarity with the land. The term is
used to insult the abilities of one at sea.
lass - A way to address a younger female.
loaded to the gunwalls - To be drunk.
long clothes - A style of clothing best suited to land. A pirate, or any sailor,
doesn’t have the luxury of wearing anything loose that might get in the way
while climbing up riggings. Landsmen, by contrast, could adorn themselves
with baggy pants, coats, and stockings.
Murder Among THe Mateys
lookout - A person posted to keep watch on the horizon for other ships or signs of land.
loot - Stolen goods; money.
lugger - A two-masted sailing vessel with a lugsail rig.
lugsail - A quadrilateral sail that lacks a boom, has the foot larger than the head, and is bent to a
yard hanging obliquely on the mast.
landlubber loot limb land landed loan least low light language little lunge log lie liar lend link linking loo look lookout lacky lecky lack off

M
maroon - To abandon a person on a deserted coast or island with little in the way of supplies. It is
a fairly common punishment for violation of a pirate ship’s articles, or offending her crew
because the victims death cannot be directly connected to his former brethren.
marooned - To be stranded, particularly on a desert isle.
matey - A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if not necessarily friendly, fashion.
me - My.
measured fer yer chains - To be outfitted for a gibbet cage.
mutiny - To rise against authority, especially the captain of a ship.
map marauder maroon mast mates moon monkey monk mount mean mess mister mark marker mist mind mingle mink mock mend meal

N
Nelsons folly - Rum.
no prey, no pay - A common pirate law meaning a crew received no wages, but rather shared whatever loot was taken.
nautical navigate neck nail nick nose not now north pole prune new nest night nighty nine kneel numb dumb

O
ocean outcasts owl owned own owner one ounce ouch our ours owe awe off order ought all over

P
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.
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.
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.
parrot pegleg pieces of eight pillage pirate plank plunder privateer pilfer post pilferage pawn preach pay play paid pest push pun puff pig pound poster proof

Q
quartermaster quarters quay quire queen quick

R
red ensign - A British flag.
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.
raid rations rigging rob robber robbed ruby rules rum rain rank ranks red reek rack rail railing reef rock rat

S
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.
scallywag - A villainous or mischievous person.
scourge of the seven seas - A pirate known for his extremely violent and brutal nature.
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!”
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.
Shiver me timbers! - An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! - An expression of surprise.
six pounders - Cannons.
smartly - Quickly. “Smartly there, men!” or “Hurry up!”
spirits - An alcoholic beverage, especially distilled liquor.
splice the main brace - To have a drink or perhaps several drinks.
spyglass - A telescope.
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.
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.
squat squall swell sea seas sick silver sail sailing scar scurvy seas ship shipmate shore ashore silver skull and bones steal swab the deck sword seal sickness sin sinner slump slum slim search stow store stowaway storage spoon spank split splash sweep swell swelling squash slip sleep sworn seek seeker seat seater sleep sleeper sleeping show send stool

T
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.
treasure treasure island tow town towing tool tools tend tender trick trickery trim truce trap trapped trip tripped thrown throne try tin tequila tug thug

U
uniform unit unique utilize umph unicorn universe ultra unguard

V
vessel villain violence violent voice vermin vector victor victory vend vendor vase veg veggy veggies vegetable vanguard vile volatile viscosity

W
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.
weigh anchor - To haul the anchor up; more generally, to leave port.
wench - A young woman or peasant girl,
walk the plank weapons wreck wrist wright well wall wire wind windy wing wool wood wooden women woman word wrench winch winching wrath war warf weigh weight wild

X
X marks the spot

Y
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.
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.
yankee yo-ho-ho you your youth year years yard yards yes yaw yawing yell

Devoted Darling

13,500 Points
  • 50 Wins 150
  • Partygoer 500
  • Marathon 300
pirate pirate pirate
Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, Drink and the devil had done for the rest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight, With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight, And we heaved 'em over and out of sight, With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well, And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell, Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Scurvy dog! Pirate life on a ship. Avast ye ayeterday!, gold dubloon my bonny booty briny deep ocean, arrgh shiver me timbers yar walk the plank, hoist the jolly rogers, Arrr

Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey, Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow, pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy, Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust, Ahoy! - Hello! Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend! Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!" All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - aye Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing Bilge-sucking - insult Blimey! - exhortation of surprise Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!" Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone Booty - booty Buccaneer - a pirate Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes Feed the fish - will soon die Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle Head - the pirate ship's toilet Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle Me - my Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts Old Salt - an experienced sailor Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom. Privateer - government-sponsored pirates Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult Scuttle - to sink a ship Seadog - old pirate or sailor Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker Shipshape - cleaned up and under control Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!" Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out. Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going Ye - ye Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention Ye've Landlubber Arrrg! Avast Ye Scurvy Parrot Sea Ahoy Ye Matey Shiver me timbers seven seas poop deck walk the plank ships parrot pegleg hook cannon Davy Jones' Locker poop deck doubloons booty loot booty buccaneer
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!

Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Lol!
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot booty buccaneer
A

Aft – The back of the ship.

Ahoy! – ‘Hello’

Arr – Yes/That’s great/I agree

Aye – ‘Yes, definitely.’

Aye Aye – ‘Of course, I’ll do that now.’

B

Barbary Coast – Mediterranean coast off of North Africa.

Be – Use instead of ‘am’, ‘are’ or ‘is’.

Bilboes – Leg irons attached to the deck of a ship.

Bilge – The dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship.

Bilge rat – A rat that lives in the dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship. This is not a nice name to call somebody.

Black Spotted – A person/animal that has had a curse put on them.

Blimey – ‘Wow.’

Booty – Riches that have usually been stolen.

Bounty – A reward, usually paid by the Government for the capture of a criminal.

Buccanneer – Pirates, usually from Hispaniola, who attacked Spanish ships in the Caribbean.

Bucko – Friend

C

Careen – To clean the hull of a ship.

Cat’o’nine tails – A whip made up of nine knotted ropes and used as punishment.

Convoy – A group of ships traveling together.

Corsair – Pirates in the Mediterranean.

Crow’s Nest – A lookout point at the top of the highest mast of a ship.

Cutlass – A curved sword, often used by sailors.

D

Davy Jones Locker – The bottom of the ocean.

Deck – The highest floor on a ship.

Deckhand – A person working on a ship, sometimes shortened to ‘hand’.

Dubloon – An old Spainish gold coin.

F

Fair Winds – ‘Good Luck.’

Flog – To whip.

Fore – Short for ‘forward’.

G

Galleon – A large, squarish ship used in war or to carry cargo.

Gangway – ‘Clear a path.’

Grog – Rum mixed with water or any kind of alcohol.

Grub – Food

H

Hands – Crewmen.

Haven – A safe place.

Heave to – To change the direction of the ship so it is facing forwards into the wind.

Hold – The space in a ship where cargo or prisoners were kept.

Hornpipe – A dance or a single reeded musical instrument.

Hornswaggle – To cheat.

Hornswaggler – A person who cheats.

Hulk – The old, dismantled body of a ship, sometimes used as prisons.

Hull – The body of a ship, not including the masts and rigging.

J

Jack Tar – Sailor

Jolly Roger – The pirate flag - a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

K

Keel – The main framework of a ship that runs from the front to the back at the bottom of the ship.

Keelhaul – To pull somebody under the keel of a ship. Done by using ropes and often as a form of punishment.

L

Lad – Young man.

Land ahoy! – ‘I see land.’

Land lubber or lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

Lass – Young woman.

Leg Irons – Wide rings of metal that were attached to each other and fastened around prisoner’s ankles.

Loot – Gold and riches usually stolen.

Lubber or land lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

M

Marooned – Left alone, usually on a deserted island.

Mast – The upright pole on a ship that the sails and ropes are attached to.

Mate or Matey – Friend

Me – Used instead of ‘my’.

Me beauty – How ye would address a pretty lady or something important to you.

Me hearties – Friends

Merchant Ship – A ship carrying cargo to be sold.

Mutiny – When a ship’s crew refuse to follow the captain’s orders.

N

New World - America

P

Peg leg – An artificial leg, usually wooden.

Pieces of Eight – An old Spanish silver coin.

Pirate – A ‘robber of the sea’.

Plunder – To steal.

Poop deck – The floor that is also the roof of a cabin built on the upper deck.

Poop cabin – A room built on the top deck of a ship, often the Captain’s.

Port – The left side when facing the ship’s pointy end, also a strong alcoholic drink, and the area of land next to where ships are left when the pirates go ashore.

Privateer – English, French or Dutch sailors allowed by their Government to attack enemy ships.

Prow – The pointy end of a ship.

Q

Quartermaster – The sailor second-in-charge to the Captain.

R

Rigging – The ropes, mast and sails on a ship.

S

Salt or Old Salt – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Sea dog – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Scurvy – A disease many sailors got because they didn’t eat enough vitamin C.

Scuttle – To make a hole in a ship’s hull or to sink the ship.

Shanty – A seafaring song.

Shipshape – To be neat and tidy.

Shiver me timbers – ‘What a surprise.’

Sink me – ‘What a surprise.’

Smartly – Quickly

Starboard – The right side of the ship (if ye are facing the pointed end).

Swab – To clean something or a name for somebody ye don’t like very much.

Swag – Gold and riches.

T

To be three sheets to the wind – To have three sheets to the wind too much alcohol.

Titivate – To clean up and make neat.

W

Walk the plank – To be forced to walk along and off the end of a plank that has been placed over the side of a ship.

Weevil – A kind of beetle that can eat your food before ye do.

Weigh anchor – To lift the anchor and be ready to sail.

Y

Ye – Used instead of ‘you’.

Yer – Used instead of ‘your’.

Addled
Mad, insane, or just stupid. An "addlepate" is a fool.
Aft Short for "after." Toward the rear of the ship.
Ahoy Hello!
Avast! Hey! Could also be used as "Stop that!" or "Who goes there?"
Begad! By God!
Belay Avast Ye! that. "Belay that talk!" would mean "Shut up!"
Bilge! Nonsense, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater—or just "bilge."
Bilge-sucking A very uncomplimentary adjective.
Black Spot

To "place the Black Spot" on another pirate is to sentence him to death, to warn him he is marked for death, or sometimes just to accuse him of a serious crime before other pirates.
Blaggard Blackguard. An insult.
Blimey! An exclamation of surprise.
Booty Loot.
Bosun Boatswain, a petty officer.
Bucko Familiar term. "Me bucko" = "my friend."
Cap'n Short for "captain."
Cat o'nine tails A whip with many lashes, used for flogging. "A taste of the cat" might refer to a full flogging, or just a single blow to "smarten up" a recalcitrant hand.
Chantey A sailor's work song. Also spelled "shantey" or "shanty."
Corsair A more romantic term for pirate. But still a pirate.
Davy Jones' locker The bottom of the sea.
Deadlights Eyes. "Use yer deadlights, matey!"
Dead men tell no tales Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors.
Dog A mild insult, perhaps even a friendly one.
Doubloon A Spanish gold coin. At different times, it was worth either 4 or 16 silver pesos, or "pieces of eight."
Fair winds!

Goodbye, good luck!
Feed the fish What ye do when ye are thrown into the sea, dead or alive.
Gangway! "Get out of my way!"
Godspeed! Goodbye, good luck!
Grub Food.
Fore, or forrard Toward the front end of the ship.
Flogging Punishment by caning, or by whipping with the cat.
Hands The crew of a ship; sailors.
Handsomely Quickly. "Handsomely now, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Jack Ketch The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jollyboat

A small but happy craft, perhaps even one which is a little dinghy.
Jolly Roger The pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag. It was an invitation to surrender, with the implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated "no quarter."
Keelhaul Punishment by dragging under the ship, from one side to the other. The victim of a keelhauling would be half-drowned, or worse, and lacerated by the barnacles that grew beneath the ship.
Kiss the gunner's daughter A punishment: to be bent over one of the ship's guns and flogged.
Lad, lass, lassie A way to address someone younger than you.
Landlubber or just lubber A non-sailor.
Lights Lungs. A pirate might threaten to "have someone's lights and liver."
Line A rope in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line. When a rope is just coiled up on deck, not yet being used for anything, it's all right to call it a rope.
Lookout Someone posted to keep watch on the horizon for other ships or signs of land.
Maroon A common punishment for violation of a pirate ship's articles, or offending her crew. The victim was left on a deserted coast (or, island) with few supplies. That way, no one could say that the unlucky pirate had actually been killed by his former brethren.
Me A piratical way to say "my."
Me hearties Typical way for a pirate leader to address his crew.
Matey A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if not necessarily friendly, fashion.
No quarter! Surrender will not be accepted.
Piece of eight

A Spanish silver coin worth one peso or 8 reales. It was sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
Pillage To raid, rob, and sack a target ashore.
Pirate A seagoing robber and murderer. Contrast with privateer.
Poop deck The highest deck at the aft end of a large ship. Smaller ships don't have a poop; the highest part aft is the quarterdeck.
Poxy, poxed Diseased. Used as an insult.
Rope's end Another term for flogging. "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
Rum (noun) Traditional pirate drink.
Rum (adjective) Strange or odd. A "rum fellow" is a peculiar person, the sort who won't say "Arrrr!" on Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Sail ho! "I see a ship!" The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
Salt, old salt An experienced seaman.
Scurvy (1) A deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C, often afflicting sailors;
(2) A derogatory adjective for an epithet, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
Sea dog An experienced seaman.
Shanty Another spelling for "chantey" - a sea song.
Shark bait

(1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.).
(2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
Shiver me timbers! An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! An expression of surprise.
Smartly

Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Splice the mainbrace To have a drink. Or, perhaps, several drinks.
Spyglass A telescope.
Starboard The right side of the ship when ye are facing toward her prow.
Sutler A merchant in port, selling what a ship needed for supplies and repairs.
Swab (noun) A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
Swab (verb) To clean something. "Swabbing the decks" would be a mild penalty for a disobedient pirate.
Swag Loot.
Wench An individual of the female persuasion. "Saucy" is a good adjective to add to this, and if ye can get away with "Me proud beauty,” more power to ye!
Yo-ho-ho

Thar be a bunch o’ words an’ sayin’s used by salty old sea dogs that don’t make much sense to a landsman, so here’s a few of ‘em to help yer get yer sea legs.
ABBEY LUBBER : A loiterer that could work but will not.

ABEAM : The direction at right angles to the hull. To either side of the ship

ABLE SEAMAN : A skilled sailor

ABRAHAM MEN : Vagabonds that beg by pretendin’ to ‘ave been discharged with no money from ships.

ADDLE : Putrid water in the water barrels.

ADRIFT : Floating about out of control.

ADVENTURE : An enterprise in which something is risked or left to chance.

AFEARD : A common way of saying afraid.

AFT. or Abaft : The direction towards the stern of the ship. That’s the “back” for land-lubbers.

AHOY : A shout used to get someone’s attention.

ALOFT : The top part of the masts and rigging.

AMBUSH : Hiding so as to attack without warnin’.

ARRR : A multipurpose mostly positive exclamation not to be confused with ARRRGH which is usually negative.

ARTHUR : A well known sea game.

ARTICLES : A set of rules which govern pirate’s behaviour on a vessel.

A SHORT DROP AND A QUICK STOP : A reference to hanging.

AURORA : The faint light seen before sunrise.

AVAST : Stop, hold, cease or desist. AVAST YE SCURVY DOGS : Avast Ye! that now or there’ll be trouble.

AYE : A way of sayin’ yes. AYE AYE : A way of sayin’ aye to someone that’s a bit deaf.
BACK-O’-BEYOND : A long way from anywhere. Usually where ye don’t want t’ be

BACK-STAFF : A tool the navigator uses to work out how high the sun is in the sky. Helps ‘im work out where we are, while everybody else is scratching their heads.

BALLAST : Heavy stuff in the hold of the ship to keep her steady.

BARKING IRONS : Large duelling pistols.

BARNACLE : A type of shell fish that sticks to the bottom of the ship's hull. If too many get attached they’ll slow the ship down so they need to be scraped off regularly.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Means cover the hatches to the lower decks with canvas during a storm to avast ye! water from getting belowdecks.

BEATING : Sailin’ towards the wind in a zig zag line.

BEATING THE BOOBY : Slapping of hands around your arms to warm your self up on a cold watch.

BECALMED : Not able to sail because thar is no wind.

BEFORE THE MAST : The station of a sailor that is not an officer.

BELAY : To secure, tie up or make fast, often another way of sayin’ stop.

BELAYING PIN : A wooden rod sitting in a hole on the rail that a rope can be tied to temporarily. A useful improvised weapon aboard a sailing ship because they’re everywhere and just right for a club.

BELL : Every half hour of a four hour watch the ship’s bell is rung to show how many half hours have passed. If an hour has past it would be rung twice and we would say the time was “two bells” of that watch.

BILBOES : A method of securing captives by means of a metal bar to which shackles be fixed. This is what we means when we say “Clap him in irons.”

BILGE : The lowest part of the ship. Wet, musty and full of rats.

BLACK JACK : Another name for a pirate flag.

BLACK SPOT : A black mark on a piece of paper that means “We’re going to get ya” or somethin’ like that.

BLEEDING THE MONKEY : Stealin’ the grog.

BLETHERING : Talking nonsense.

BLOODY FLAG : A red flag we use to say ”We’re goin’ to kill the lot of yer.”

BLOW THE GAFF : Givin’ away a secret or informin’.

BLUNDERBUSS : A short fire arm with a wide mouth that scatters musket balls over a wide area.

BOSUN (also Boatswain) : An officer on the ship who is in charge of the ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew.

BOOM : A long spar extending from the mast to extend the foot of a sail. Also the sound a cannon makes when fired at the enemy.

BOOTY : That be booty to ye or me.

BOREAS : A name for the North wind.

BOW : The front of the ship or boat.

BOW CHASERS : A pair of guns mounted in the bow to fire directly ahead.

BOWSPRIT : The slanted spar that sticks out over the bow of the ship and is used to support the fore-mast and spread the fore stay sail.

BRIGANTINE or Brig : A two-masted ship, square-rigged on both masts.

BROAD ARROW : The British royal mark for government stores.

BROADSIDE : Side by side with another ship, a good place to be if ye have more guns than them, a very bad place to be if they have more than you. A “Broadside" has come to mean firing all the cannon on one side of one ship into the side of another.

BUCCANEER : A pirate, especially one that preyed on Spanish shipping in the West Indies during the 17th century.

BULLYRAG : Insulting in a noisy threatening way.

BURGOO : A dish made of boiled oat-meal seasoned with salt, butter and sugar.

BUTTER FINGERED : Careless, clumsy and likely to drop things.

BY THE WIND : Sailin’ in the same direction as the wind’s blowin’.
CABIN : What land-lubber would call a “room” on a ship.

CABLE : A heavy rope or chain often used for mooring or anchoring a ship.

CABLE’S LENGTH : A measure of about 100 fathoms and used to estimate the distances of ships in a fleet.

CACKLE FRUIT : Hen’s eggs

CAESAR’S PENNY : The tip given by a recruiting sergeant. Taking this money meant ye had received your first payment and therefor were recruited into service and could not refuse.

CALALOO : A dish of fish and vegetables.

CANISTER SHOT or Case shot : A package of small iron balls loaded into a gun to be used against sailors without causing too much damage to the ship.

CANVAS : A cloth made from hemp and used for the sails. A ship in motion by her sails is said to be “Under canvas.”

CAPTAIN or Cap’n : The master of the ship. A pirate captain was voted into command by the crew and had absolute authority in battle and ruled by consent at other times, assisted by the Quartermaster.

CAPSTAN : A winch used for hauling heavy weights like the anchor. A vertical cylinder with handles that is rotated manually by several of the crew and around which a cable is wound.

CARDINAL POINTS : The general name for the north, east, south and west points on the horizon.

CAREENING : Taking the ship into shallow waters or out of the water altogether to scrape off barnacles, weed and all the other pesky stuff that likes to grow on the bottom of the hull. It’s a tough job but it has to be done if we want to keep the ship moving fast in the water.

CARPENTER : A skilled crew member in charge of repairing all wooden parts of a ship. As most of the ship is made of wood that makes him a very important person to have of board a pirate ship.

CASK : A barrel for liquid or solid provisions.

CAST-AWAY : Shipwrecked.

CAT O'NINE TAILS or Cat : A whip with nine lashes used for flogging, a punishment much used by the British Navy. Sometime made by untwisting a three strand rope and re-laying it into the nine strands.

CAULKING : Oakum or old rope jammed into cracks in the ships hull and treated with pitch to waterproof it.

CHAIN SHOT : Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high to cut the masts and rigging of a ship.

CHART or Sea chart : What some lubbers would call a map and not likely to be marked with an X that’s for sure.

CHASE GUN : A cannon mounted at the bow of the ship, used when chasing another ship.

CHIVEY : A knife.

CHOWDER : A stew of codfish, salt pork, biscuit and lots of pepper.

CHOWDER-HEADED or Chuckle-headed : Stupid or foolish.

CHRISTIAN : A Danish gold coin.

CLOSE-HAULED or Close to the wind : A ship sailing as much towards the wind as she can.

COCKED HAT : A three cornered hat with it’s brim turned up at the sides. Also called a Tricorne.

CODGER : An easy going but steady man, one that will not move faster than he pleases.

COD-LINE : A light line.

COLOURS : The flags or banners that mark ships of different nations. Pirates often flew false colours to get close to their targets before raising the black jack.

COMBING THE CAT : The Bosun running his fingers through the cat o'nine tails to separate them.

COMPASS : An instrument with a magnetic needle that points towards the North. It is marked with the cardinal points, north, east, south and west and then further divided into thirty two points in all. Modern compasses are divided into 360 points or degrees.

CONTRABAND : Cargo forbidden by law to be supplied to an enemy. A profitable trade for pirates.

COOPER : A skilled crew member in charge of making, repairing and taking apart barrels for storage.

CORDAGE : A general term for the running rigging of a ship and any rope kept in reserve.

CORSAIR : A pirate operating around the Mediterranean Sea.

COT : A wooden framed bed suspended from the beams of the ship for the officers. Slightly more comfortable than the hammocks used by the crew.

COXSWAIN or Coxson: The person who steers a ship's ship and is in charge of its crew.

CROW'S NEST : A small platform, near the top of a mast. A good place to watch out for other ships or land.

CUTLASS : A short sword used for fighting on board ships.
DANCE THE HEMPEN JIG : To be hanged. The fate waitin’ for many a pirate.

DAVY JONES : The dark spirit of the sea. DAVY JONES’S LOCKER : The bottom of the sea where nothing is lost because ye know where it is. Where everything thrown overboard ends up, including the bodies of sailors buried at sea.

DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES : A good reason for leavin’ no survivors.

DEAD RECKONING : Estimating a ship’s position by working out speed and direction of travel. Not as accurate as using astronomical methods.

DITTY BAG : A small duffle bag used by a crewman to store their personal equipment and belongings.

DITTY BOX : A small box or chest for holding a seaman’s valuables.

DOG’S BODY : Dried peas boiled in a cloth.

DOUBLE DUTCH : Gibberish or any unintelligible language.

DOUBLOON : A golden Spanish coin. Worth about seven week's pay to an average sailor.

DRAFT : The depth of a ship’s keel below the water line. The depth of water needed to float a vessel.

DUDS : Clothing, and not very good clothing at that.
EAGLE or Spread Eagle : A punishment where the offender is tied hand and foot to the rigging and left thar for a while.

St. ELMO’S FIRE : Electric light seen flickering about the masts, yard arms and rigging during a storm.

EYE OF THE WIND : Where the wind is blowing from.
FATHOM : The full reach of a cack-handed deck ape with arms extended. A measure of six feet used to mark the depth of water using a lead or sounding line.

FILIBUSTER : A Spanish word for pirate. Trust them to have a fancy word for it.

FORE : The direction towards the stem of the ship. For land-lubbers, that’s the “front”.

FORECASTLE : The part of the upper deck forward of the foremast. Often this was was a built up section where some of the crew is housed.

FOREMAST : The foremost mast of the ship.

FURL : To roll up and secure. Usually referring to the sails.

FUTTOCK : A curved timber that forms a rib in the frame of a ship. One o’ the bits yer trip over.
GALLEON : A large Spanish merchant ship. Often full o’ booty, sometimes loaded with cannons. A bit old fashioned by the 18th Century.

GANGPLANK : A removable board or ramp used to board a ship from a pier.

GANGWAY : A passage along either side of a ship's upper deck that should be kept clear to move on at all times. Shouting “Gangway” is a good way to tell people they are in your way.

GIBBET : Chains or cages in which the rotting corpses of hung pirates are displayed in order to discourage piracy.

GO ON ACCOUNT : A gentlemanly way of sayin’ “I’ve become a pirate.”

GRAPE or Grapeshot : Small balls of lead or iron fired in quantity from a cannon. Makes a mess of soft targets like sails or people without damaging the ship too much.

GRENADE : An iron pot with a fuze, filled with gunpowder. Thrown onto the enemies decks before boarding.

GROG : Rum, sometimes mixed with water. Feelin’ “Groggy” is what ‘appens when yer drinks too much of it.

GUN : A cannon, not to be confused with a pistol or a musket.

GUNWALE or Gunnel : Originally the upper plank on the hull, binding the frame together. A term often used for the side of the ship, as in “Throw that bilge rat over the gunwale.”
HAIL : To call another vessel, usually to ask where she comes from and where she’s going. A traditional pirate hail is “Hove-to or we’ll blow ye out of the water.”

HALYARD : A line used to hoist a sail, spar, or flag

HANDS : The crew of the ship.

HARDTACK or Sea biscuit : A hard biscuit made from flour and water baked solid so it can be stored for a long time. Often full o’ weevils an’ maggots. Better than eating bilge rats, but not by much.

HEAVE-TO or Hove-to : Slowing the ship down and fixing its course. Often called out as an order from one ship to another, demanding the other ship strike sails and avast ye! moving in order to be boarded.

HEMPEN HARNESS : The hangman’s noose.

HOGSHEAD : A large barrel holding about a hundred gallons used for the shipment of wines and spirits.

HOLYSTONE or Bible : A stone used for scouring the wooden decks of a ship. About the size of an old Bible and used by sailors on their knees, hence the name.

HOLD : The interior of the hull below the decks.

HOVE-TO : Avast Ye! a ship from moving in the water.

HULL : The body of the ship, the bit that floats on the water below the masts, rigging and sails.
IMPRESS : To force into service. If thar weren’t enough willing to join a crew, others were recruited by force. A method often used by the British Navy.

IRONS or Bilboes : Long bars on which shackles are fixed with a lock at the end. Used for holding the legs of prisoners for as long as ye need to.
JACK : The British Union flag but also Jack or Jack Tar are familiar terms for an ordinary sailor.

JIB : A triangular sail in the forward part of the ship's rig and in small craft like sloops it is attached to the bowsprit or the bow.

JOLLY ROGER : A pirate flag often black an’ showing the skull-and-crossbones. Hoisted aloft it says “You’d better surrender because we’ll be annoyed if ye don’t.” A red flag says "We’re annoyed now an’ we’re going to make ye walk the plank all."

JURY-RIGGED : A ship fitted with temporary rigging, masts or sails when accident or attack has damaged the proper rig.
KEEL : The lowest timber of the ship's frame, running from Stem to Stern.

KEEL-HAULING : A horrific punishment where the victim is dragged under the ship with ropes attached to the other side of the hull. Not only was thar a good chance of drowning but the barnacles and other encrustations on the hull would cause terrible abrasions as the victim was hauled under.

KNOT : A measure of the ship’s speed made by counting the knots on a log-line paid out to a float for thirty seconds. A ship travelling at 8 knots is moving 8 nautical miles an hour.
LADDER : What an land-lubber would call “stairs” between decks on a ship.

LANDSMAN : A new recruit that has never been to sea before.

LANYARD : A short rope or cord used for hanging or securing something.

LEAGUE : A distance of three nautical miles.

LETTER OF MARQUE : A document given to a captain allowing him to attack enemy ships under the authority of the crown, in return for a cut of the loot. It makes a pirate sort of legal if you’re on the right side.

LINE : What a Land Lubber would call “a rope” in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line.

LOADED TO THE GUNNELLS : Drunk as can be. Not fit to sail a ship that’s for sure.

LOG : A record of the ship's course, progress, and any events of navigational importance.

LOG-LINE : A knotted length of line with a piece of wood at the end which is thrown into the water to determine how many "knots" run out in thirty seconds. See Knot.

LONG BOAT : A large ship carried by a ship which is used to move loads such as anchors, chains, ropes, or loot.

LONG CLOTHES : The type of clothing worn on land.

LOOKOUT : A crew member posted to keep watch, often from the crow’s nest, for other ships or signs of land.

LOOT : Stolen stuff.

LUBBER : An awkward, clumsy, unseamanlike fellow. LAND-LUBBER : The worst kind of Lubber, one that’s never even been to sea before.
MAIN-MAST : The largest and most central mast of the ship.

MAN-OF-WAR : A warship designed and equipped for battle

MARLINSPIKE : An iron pointed tool used to separate the strands of a rope for splicing

MAROONING : Abandoning a person on a deserted coast or island with very few supplies. Usually resulting in a slow death by starvation or thirst. If ye were rescued you’d probably be hung because people presumed ye were a pirate.

MAKE FAST : Tying or securing ropes. Fast is usually used in the sense of “fasten” on ship.

MIZEN-MAST: The aftermost mast of the ship. The one at the “back” for the land-lubbers

MUTINY : Revolt or determined disobedience on a ship. Punishable by death in the British Navy.
NAVIGATOR : A crew member skilled in the art of navigation. Combining seamanship and knowledge of nautical astronomy. A skilled navigator could guide a ship from port to port often with no sight of land for months on end.

NEWGATE BIRDS : Men sent to serve on British Navy ships in place of serving a sentence in prison.

NO PREY, NO PAY : This means ye won’t get paid unless we capture some ships.
OAKUM : The remains of old ropes that have become untwisted or picked to pieces, sometimes called “tow”. This material was often used to stuff into cracks in the ship’s hull with tar to seal it from water.

ORLOP: The lowest deck, immediately above the hold.
PAINTER : A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her fast.

PIECES OF EIGHT : Spanish silver coins worth eight "reales.," could be cut into eight pieces, each worth one reale.

PINNACE : A light ship propelled by sails or oars, used for travelling between ship and shore.

PIRACY or Pyracy : Robbery at sea.

PIRATE or Pyrate : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without letters of marque.

PIRATE ROUND : A route from North America to the Indian Ocean taking advantage of seasonal winds and trade.

PISTOL PROOF : Very lucky, the sort of fellow that always seems to make the right choices.

PLUNDER : To rob, steal and generally make of with everybody’s loot.

POOP DECK : The uppermost deck at the stern of a ship, usually above the captain’s quarters.

PORT : A seaport or the left side of the ship which is normally the side ye bring in to port.

POWDER MONKEY : A crew member whose job during battle was to run back and forth from the ship's powder hold carrying black powder for the guns.

PRESSGANG : A company of men sent a’shore to force men into service on a ship, usually a Navy one but sometimes a pirate ship.

PRIVATEER : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea with letters of marque from a government.

PRIZE : A captured ship and its cargo.

PROW : For the lubbers that’s the pointy bit at the front of the ship.

PURSER : An officer on a ship responsible for provisions and clothing. Such provisions were often sold to sailors on credit against their next payment which meant the sailors never actually managed to keep any of their money when they were finally paid.
QUADRANT : A navigation tool used to measure the altitude of the sun. Largely replaced by the back-staff.

QUARTER : If we offer ye quarter it means we’ll treat ye well if ye surrender. If we say “No Quarter” it means we’ll kill the lot of yer.

QUARTER-DECK : The uppermost deck abaft the main mast. The “sticky up bit at the back” for the land-lubbers.

QUARTER-MASTER : On pirate ships the quartermaster was responsible for stores, provisions and booty. In most cases he was second in charge to the captain.
RAMSHACKLE : Out of repair, disorderly.

RATLINE : Horizontal lines run along the shrouds to form a ladder for the crew to use in getting up into the rigging.

REEF - An underwater obstacle of rock or coral that will tear a great hole in the bottom of the ship if ye hit it. Also “to reef the sails” means tying them up a bit to reduce to area of sail in a strong wind.

RIGGING : Any or all of the ropes or chains used to support the masts and arrange the sails. Those that are “standing” are fixed, while those that are “running” are used to adjust the yards and sails.

RIG OF A SHIP : The set of masts, ropes and sails that makes up the true character of a ship.

ROPE : Is made of hemp or other stuff, spun into yarns and strands and twisted together into cordage. When it is put to use in the rigging it is then called a line, not a rope. If a rope is just coiled up on deck, not being used for anything, then ye can call it a rope, not a line.

RUTTER : A book of charts, a journal, log book or set of sailing instructions used by a navigator.
SALMAGUNGI : A savoury dish made of cured fish and onions.

SCUPPERS : Vents on a ship's deck that allow water to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" means get rid of something by chucking it overboard.

SCURVY : A common disease among sailors caused by vitamin C deficiency causing spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin and extreme weakness. This lead to the British Navy giving their crews lime juice and being called “limeys” by the American sailors.

SCUTTLE : To deliberately sink a ship by making a hole in the hull.

SEA LEGS : A cack-handed deck ape is said to have his sea legs when he can stand steady on the deck of a ship pitching and rolling on the waves. Sometimes a sailor, used to this motion, takes a while to get his land legs back when he goes a’shore which makes him swagger a bit as he walks.

SHEET : A line running from the bottom corner of a sail so ye can adjust it for the wind

SHROUDS : Part of the standing rigging used to support the masts.

SLOOP : A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged ship much favoured by pirates because of its speed, shallow draught and fast turning ability.

SLOW MATCH : A cord of braided hemp, often infused with saltpetre, that burned slowly like a candle wick and was applied to powder in the touch hole of a cannon in order to fire it.

SOUNDING LINE or lead : An instrument for measuring the depth of the water, a line with a lead weight on the end and marked in fathoms.

SPANKER : A fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff. The aftermost sail of a ship sometimes called the driver.

SQUARE-RIGGED : Fitted mostly with square sails.

STARBOARD : The right side of the ship when ye are facing forward. Opposite side to port.

STARTING ROPE : A short length of heavy rope with a knot in the end that the Bosun uses to beat crew members to make them work harder.

STEM : The foremost timber of the frame.

STERN : The aftermost part of the ship. That’s the back for the lubbers.

STERN CHASER
STINK POT
STRIKE COLORS
SWAB
SWIVEL GUN
TAR
TARPAULIN
TELL-TALE
THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND
TOGS
TOP SAILS
UPPER DECK
VENT
VOLLEY
WALKING THE PLANK
WATCH FIRST WATCH MIDDLE WATCH MORNING WATCH FORENOON WATCH AFTERNOON WATCH DOG WATCHES

WATCH GLASS
WEIGH ANCHOR
X MARKS THE SPOT
YARD
YELLOW JACK

SamWeiki's Partner

Newbie Conqueror

30,175 Points
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me have trying to figure what out myslef young lass

Animal Animal

27,350 Points
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Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, Drink and the devil had done for the rest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight, With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight, And we heaved 'em over and out of sight, With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well, And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell, Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Scurvy dog! Pirate life on a ship. Avast ye ayeterday!, gold dubloon my bonny booty briny deep ocean, arrgh shiver me timbers yar walk the plank, hoist the jolly rogers, Arrr

Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey, Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow, pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy, Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust, Ahoy! - Hello! Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend! Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!" All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - aye Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing Bilge-sucking - insult Blimey! - exhortation of surprise Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!" Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone Booty - booty Buccaneer - a pirate Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes Feed the fish - will soon die Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle Head - the pirate ship's toilet Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle Me - my Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts Old Salt - an experienced sailor Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom. Privateer - government-sponsored pirates Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult Scuttle - to sink a ship Seadog - old pirate or sailor Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker Shipshape - cleaned up and under control Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!" Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out. Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going Ye - ye Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention Ye've Landlubber Arrrg! Avast Ye Scurvy Parrot Sea Ahoy Ye Matey Shiver me timbers seven seas poop deck walk the plank ships parrot pegleg hook cannon Davy Jones' Locker poop deck doubloons booty loot booty buccaneer
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!

Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Lol!
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - aye
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - booty
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - ye
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot booty buccaneer
A

Aft – The back of the ship.

Ahoy! – ‘Hello’

Arr – Yes/That’s great/I agree

Aye – ‘Yes, definitely.’

Aye Aye – ‘Of course, I’ll do that now.’

B

Barbary Coast – Mediterranean coast off of North Africa.

Be – Use instead of ‘am’, ‘are’ or ‘is’.

Bilboes – Leg irons attached to the deck of a ship.

Bilge – The dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship.

Bilge rat – A rat that lives in the dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship. This is not a nice name to call somebody.

Black Spotted – A person/animal that has had a curse put on them.

Blimey – ‘Wow.’

Booty – Riches that have usually been stolen.

Bounty – A reward, usually paid by the Government for the capture of a criminal.

Buccanneer – Pirates, usually from Hispaniola, who attacked Spanish ships in the Caribbean.

Bucko – Friend

C

Careen – To clean the hull of a ship.

Cat’o’nine tails – A whip made up of nine knotted ropes and used as punishment.

Convoy – A group of ships traveling together.

Corsair – Pirates in the Mediterranean.

Crow’s Nest – A lookout point at the top of the highest mast of a ship.

Cutlass – A curved sword, often used by sailors.

D

Davy Jones Locker – The bottom of the ocean.

Deck – The highest floor on a ship.

Deckhand – A person working on a ship, sometimes shortened to ‘hand’.

Dubloon – An old Spainish gold coin.

F

Fair Winds – ‘Good Luck.’

Flog – To whip.

Fore – Short for ‘forward’.

G

Galleon – A large, squarish ship used in war or to carry cargo.

Gangway – ‘Clear a path.’

Grog – Rum mixed with water or any kind of alcohol.

Grub – Food

H

Hands – Crewmen.

Haven – A safe place.

Heave to – To change the direction of the ship so it is facing forwards into the wind.

Hold – The space in a ship where cargo or prisoners were kept.

Hornpipe – A dance or a single reeded musical instrument.

Hornswaggle – To cheat.

Hornswaggler – A person who cheats.

Hulk – The old, dismantled body of a ship, sometimes used as prisons.

Hull – The body of a ship, not including the masts and rigging.

J

Jack Tar – Sailor

Jolly Roger – The pirate flag - a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

K

Keel – The main framework of a ship that runs from the front to the back at the bottom of the ship.

Keelhaul – To pull somebody under the keel of a ship. Done by using ropes and often as a form of punishment.

L

Lad – Young man.

Land ahoy! – ‘I see land.’

Land lubber or lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

Lass – Young woman.

Leg Irons – Wide rings of metal that were attached to each other and fastened around prisoner’s ankles.

Loot – Gold and riches usually stolen.

Lubber or land lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

M

Marooned – Left alone, usually on a deserted island.

Mast – The upright pole on a ship that the sails and ropes are attached to.

Mate or Matey – Friend

Me – Used instead of ‘my’.

Me beauty – How ye would address a pretty lady or something important to you.

Me hearties – Friends

Merchant Ship – A ship carrying cargo to be sold.

Mutiny – When a ship’s crew refuse to follow the captain’s orders.

N

New World - America

P

Peg leg – An artificial leg, usually wooden.

Pieces of Eight – An old Spanish silver coin.

Pirate – A ‘robber of the sea’.

Plunder – To steal.

Poop deck – The floor that is also the roof of a cabin built on the upper deck.

Poop cabin – A room built on the top deck of a ship, often the Captain’s.

Port – The left side when facing the ship’s pointy end, also a strong alcoholic drink, and the area of land next to where ships are left when the pirates go ashore.

Privateer – English, French or Dutch sailors allowed by their Government to attack enemy ships.

Prow – The pointy end of a ship.

Q

Quartermaster – The sailor second-in-charge to the Captain.

R

Rigging – The ropes, mast and sails on a ship.

S

Salt or Old Salt – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Sea dog – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Scurvy – A disease many sailors got because they didn’t eat enough vitamin C.

Scuttle – To make a hole in a ship’s hull or to sink the ship.

Shanty – A seafaring song.

Shipshape – To be neat and tidy.

Shiver me timbers – ‘What a surprise.’

Sink me – ‘What a surprise.’

Smartly – Quickly

Starboard – The right side of the ship (if ye are facing the pointed end).

Swab – To clean something or a name for somebody ye don’t like very much.

Swag – Gold and riches.

T

To be three sheets to the wind – To have three sheets to the wind too much alcohol.

Titivate – To clean up and make neat.

W

Walk the plank – To be forced to walk along and off the end of a plank that has been placed over the side of a ship.

Weevil – A kind of beetle that can eat your food before ye do.

Weigh anchor – To lift the anchor and be ready to sail.

Y

Ye – Used instead of ‘you’.

Yer – Used instead of ‘your’.

Addled
Mad, insane, or just stupid. An "addlepate" is a fool.
Aft Short for "after." Toward the rear of the ship.
Ahoy Hello!
Avast! Hey! Could also be used as "Stop that!" or "Who goes there?"
Begad! By God!
Belay Avast Ye! that. "Belay that talk!" would mean "Shut up!"
Bilge! Nonsense, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater—or just "bilge."
Bilge-sucking A very uncomplimentary adjective.
Black Spot

To "place the Black Spot" on another pirate is to sentence him to death, to warn him he is marked for death, or sometimes just to accuse him of a serious crime before other pirates.
Blaggard Blackguard. An insult.
Blimey! An exclamation of surprise.
Booty Loot.
Bosun Boatswain, a petty officer.
Bucko Familiar term. "Me bucko" = "my friend."
Cap'n Short for "captain."
Cat o'nine tails A whip with many lashes, used for flogging. "A taste of the cat" might refer to a full flogging, or just a single blow to "smarten up" a recalcitrant hand.
Chantey A sailor's work song. Also spelled "shantey" or "shanty."
Corsair A more romantic term for pirate. But still a pirate.
Davy Jones' locker The bottom of the sea.
Deadlights Eyes. "Use yer deadlights, matey!"
Dead men tell no tales Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors.
Dog A mild insult, perhaps even a friendly one.
Doubloon A Spanish gold coin. At different times, it was worth either 4 or 16 silver pesos, or "pieces of eight."
Fair winds!

Goodbye, good luck!
Feed the fish What ye do when ye are thrown into the sea, dead or alive.
Gangway! "Get out of my way!"
Godspeed! Goodbye, good luck!
Grub Food.
Fore, or forrard Toward the front end of the ship.
Flogging Punishment by caning, or by whipping with the cat.
Hands The crew of a ship; sailors.
Handsomely Quickly. "Handsomely now, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Jack Ketch The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jollyboat

A small but happy craft, perhaps even one which is a little dinghy.
Jolly Roger The pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag. It was an invitation to surrender, with the implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated "no quarter."
Keelhaul Punishment by dragging under the ship, from one side to the other. The victim of a keelhauling would be half-drowned, or worse, and lacerated by the barnacles that grew beneath the ship.
Kiss the gunner's daughter A punishment: to be bent over one of the ship's guns and flogged.
Lad, lass, lassie A way to address someone younger than you.
Landlubber or just lubber A non-sailor.
Lights Lungs. A pirate might threaten to "have someone's lights and liver."
Line A rope in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line. When a rope is just coiled up on deck, not yet being used for anything, it's all right to call it a rope.
Lookout Someone posted to keep watch on the horizon for other ships or signs of land.
Maroon A common punishment for violation of a pirate ship's articles, or offending her crew. The victim was left on a deserted coast (or, island) with few supplies. That way, no one could say that the unlucky pirate had actually been killed by his former brethren.
Me A piratical way to say "my."
Me hearties Typical way for a pirate leader to address his crew.
Matey A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if not necessarily friendly, fashion.
No quarter! Surrender will not be accepted.
Piece of eight

A Spanish silver coin worth one peso or 8 reales. It was sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
Pillage To raid, rob, and sack a target ashore.
Pirate A seagoing robber and murderer. Contrast with privateer.
Poop deck The highest deck at the aft end of a large ship. Smaller ships don't have a poop; the highest part aft is the quarterdeck.
Poxy, poxed Diseased. Used as an insult.
Rope's end Another term for flogging. "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
Rum (noun) Traditional pirate drink.
Rum (adjective) Strange or odd. A "rum fellow" is a peculiar person, the sort who won't say "Arrrr!" on Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Sail ho! "I see a ship!" The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
Salt, old salt An experienced seaman.
Scurvy (1) A deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C, often afflicting sailors;
(2) A derogatory adjective for an epithet, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
Sea dog An experienced seaman.
Shanty Another spelling for "chantey" - a sea song.
Shark bait

(1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.).
(2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
Shiver me timbers! An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! An expression of surprise.
Smartly

Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Splice the mainbrace To have a drink. Or, perhaps, several drinks.
Spyglass A telescope.
Starboard The right side of the ship when ye are facing toward her prow.
Sutler A merchant in port, selling what a ship needed for supplies and repairs.
Swab (noun) A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
Swab (verb) To clean something. "Swabbing the decks" would be a mild penalty for a disobedient pirate.
Swag Loot.
Wench An individual of the female persuasion. "Saucy" is a good adjective to add to this, and if ye can get away with "Me proud beauty,” more power to ye!
Yo-ho-ho

Thar be a bunch o’ words an’ sayin’s used by salty old sea dogs that don’t make much sense to a landsman, so here’s a few of ‘em to help yer get yer sea legs.
ABBEY LUBBER : A loiterer that could work but will not.

ABEAM : The direction at right angles to the hull. To either side of the ship

ABLE SEAMAN : A skilled sailor

ABRAHAM MEN : Vagabonds that beg by pretendin’ to ‘ave been discharged with no money from ships.

ADDLE : Putrid water in the water barrels.

ADRIFT : Floating about out of control.

ADVENTURE : An enterprise in which something is risked or left to chance.

AFEARD : A common way of saying afraid.

AFT. or Abaft : The direction towards the stern of the ship. That’s the “back” for land-lubbers.

AHOY : A shout used to get someone’s attention.

ALOFT : The top part of the masts and rigging.

AMBUSH : Hiding so as to attack without warnin’.

ARRR : A multipurpose mostly positive exclamation not to be confused with ARRRGH which is usually negative.

ARTHUR : A well known sea game.

ARTICLES : A set of rules which govern pirate’s behaviour on a vessel.

A SHORT DROP AND A QUICK STOP : A reference to hanging.

AURORA : The faint light seen before sunrise.

AVAST : Stop, hold, cease or desist. AVAST YE SCURVY DOGS : Avast Ye! that now or there’ll be trouble.

AYE : A way of sayin’ yes. AYE AYE : A way of sayin’ aye to someone that’s a bit deaf.
BACK-O’-BEYOND : A long way from anywhere. Usually where ye don’t want t’ be

BACK-STAFF : A tool the navigator uses to work out how high the sun is in the sky. Helps ‘im work out where we are, while everybody else is scratching their heads.

BALLAST : Heavy stuff in the hold of the ship to keep her steady.

BARKING IRONS : Large duelling pistols.

BARNACLE : A type of shell fish that sticks to the bottom of the ship's hull. If too many get attached they’ll slow the ship down so they need to be scraped off regularly.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Means cover the hatches to the lower decks with canvas during a storm to avast ye! water from getting belowdecks.

BEATING : Sailin’ towards the wind in a zig zag line.

BEATING THE BOOBY : Slapping of hands around your arms to warm your self up on a cold watch.

BECALMED : Not able to sail because thar is no wind.

BEFORE THE MAST : The station of a sailor that is not an officer.

BELAY : To secure, tie up or make fast, often another way of sayin’ stop.

BELAYING PIN : A wooden rod sitting in a hole on the rail that a rope can be tied to temporarily. A useful improvised weapon aboard a sailing ship because they’re everywhere and just right for a club.

BELL : Every half hour of a four hour watch the ship’s bell is rung to show how many half hours have passed. If an hour has past it would be rung twice and we would say the time was “two bells” of that watch.

BILBOES : A method of securing captives by means of a metal bar to which shackles be fixed. This is what we means when we say “Clap him in irons.”

BILGE : The lowest part of the ship. Wet, musty and full of rats.

BLACK JACK : Another name for a pirate flag.

BLACK SPOT : A black mark on a piece of paper that means “We’re going to get ya” or somethin’ like that.

BLEEDING THE MONKEY : Stealin’ the grog.

BLETHERING : Talking nonsense.

BLOODY FLAG : A red flag we use to say ”We’re goin’ to kill the lot of yer.”

BLOW THE GAFF : Givin’ away a secret or informin’.

BLUNDERBUSS : A short fire arm with a wide mouth that scatters musket balls over a wide area.

BOSUN (also Boatswain) : An officer on the ship who is in charge of the ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew.

BOOM : A long spar extending from the mast to extend the foot of a sail. Also the sound a cannon makes when fired at the enemy.

BOOTY : That be booty to ye or me.

BOREAS : A name for the North wind.

BOW : The front of the ship or boat.

BOW CHASERS : A pair of guns mounted in the bow to fire directly ahead.

BOWSPRIT : The slanted spar that sticks out over the bow of the ship and is used to support the fore-mast and spread the fore stay sail.

BRIGANTINE or Brig : A two-masted ship, square-rigged on both masts.

BROAD ARROW : The British royal mark for government stores.

BROADSIDE : Side by side with another ship, a good place to be if ye have more guns than them, a very bad place to be if they have more than you. A “Broadside" has come to mean firing all the cannon on one side of one ship into the side of another.

BUCCANEER : A pirate, especially one that preyed on Spanish shipping in the West Indies during the 17th century.

BULLYRAG : Insulting in a noisy threatening way.

BURGOO : A dish made of boiled oat-meal seasoned with salt, butter and sugar.

BUTTER FINGERED : Careless, clumsy and likely to drop things.

BY THE WIND : Sailin’ in the same direction as the wind’s blowin’.
CABIN : What land-lubber would call a “room” on a ship.

CABLE : A heavy rope or chain often used for mooring or anchoring a ship.

CABLE’S LENGTH : A measure of about 100 fathoms and used to estimate the distances of ships in a fleet.

CACKLE FRUIT : Hen’s eggs

CAESAR’S PENNY : The tip given by a recruiting sergeant. Taking this money meant ye had received your first payment and therefor were recruited into service and could not refuse.

CALALOO : A dish of fish and vegetables.

CANISTER SHOT or Case shot : A package of small iron balls loaded into a gun to be used against sailors without causing too much damage to the ship.

CANVAS : A cloth made from hemp and used for the sails. A ship in motion by her sails is said to be “Under canvas.”

CAPTAIN or Cap’n : The master of the ship. A pirate captain was voted into command by the crew and had absolute authority in battle and ruled by consent at other times, assisted by the Quartermaster.

CAPSTAN : A winch used for hauling heavy weights like the anchor. A vertical cylinder with handles that is rotated manually by several of the crew and around which a cable is wound.

CARDINAL POINTS : The general name for the north, east, south and west points on the horizon.

CAREENING : Taking the ship into shallow waters or out of the water altogether to scrape off barnacles, weed and all the other pesky stuff that likes to grow on the bottom of the hull. It’s a tough job but it has to be done if we want to keep the ship moving fast in the water.

CARPENTER : A skilled crew member in charge of repairing all wooden parts of a ship. As most of the ship is made of wood that makes him a very important person to have of board a pirate ship.

CASK : A barrel for liquid or solid provisions.

CAST-AWAY : Shipwrecked.

CAT O'NINE TAILS or Cat : A whip with nine lashes used for flogging, a punishment much used by the British Navy. Sometime made by untwisting a three strand rope and re-laying it into the nine strands.

CAULKING : Oakum or old rope jammed into cracks in the ships hull and treated with pitch to waterproof it.

CHAIN SHOT : Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high to cut the masts and rigging of a ship.

CHART or Sea chart : What some lubbers would call a map and not likely to be marked with an X that’s for sure.

CHASE GUN : A cannon mounted at the bow of the ship, used when chasing another ship.

CHIVEY : A knife.

CHOWDER : A stew of codfish, salt pork, biscuit and lots of pepper.

CHOWDER-HEADED or Chuckle-headed : Stupid or foolish.

CHRISTIAN : A Danish gold coin.

CLOSE-HAULED or Close to the wind : A ship sailing as much towards the wind as she can.

COCKED HAT : A three cornered hat with it’s brim turned up at the sides. Also called a Tricorne.

CODGER : An easy going but steady man, one that will not move faster than he pleases.

COD-LINE : A light line.

COLOURS : The flags or banners that mark ships of different nations. Pirates often flew false colours to get close to their targets before raising the black jack.

COMBING THE CAT : The Bosun running his fingers through the cat o'nine tails to separate them.

COMPASS : An instrument with a magnetic needle that points towards the North. It is marked with the cardinal points, north, east, south and west and then further divided into thirty two points in all. Modern compasses are divided into 360 points or degrees.

CONTRABAND : Cargo forbidden by law to be supplied to an enemy. A profitable trade for pirates.

COOPER : A skilled crew member in charge of making, repairing and taking apart barrels for storage.

CORDAGE : A general term for the running rigging of a ship and any rope kept in reserve.

CORSAIR : A pirate operating around the Mediterranean Sea.

COT : A wooden framed bed suspended from the beams of the ship for the officers. Slightly more comfortable than the hammocks used by the crew.

COXSWAIN or Coxson: The person who steers a ship's ship and is in charge of its crew.

CROW'S NEST : A small platform, near the top of a mast. A good place to watch out for other ships or land.

CUTLASS : A short sword used for fighting on board ships.
DANCE THE HEMPEN JIG : To be hanged. The fate waitin’ for many a pirate.

DAVY JONES : The dark spirit of the sea. DAVY JONES’S LOCKER : The bottom of the sea where nothing is lost because ye know where it is. Where everything thrown overboard ends up, including the bodies of sailors buried at sea.

DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES : A good reason for leavin’ no survivors.

DEAD RECKONING : Estimating a ship’s position by working out speed and direction of travel. Not as accurate as using astronomical methods.

DITTY BAG : A small duffle bag used by a crewman to store their personal equipment and belongings.

DITTY BOX : A small box or chest for holding a seaman’s valuables.

DOG’S BODY : Dried peas boiled in a cloth.

DOUBLE DUTCH : Gibberish or any unintelligible language.

DOUBLOON : A golden Spanish coin. Worth about seven week's pay to an average sailor.

DRAFT : The depth of a ship’s keel below the water line. The depth of water needed to float a vessel.

DUDS : Clothing, and not very good clothing at that.
EAGLE or Spread Eagle : A punishment where the offender is tied hand and foot to the rigging and left thar for a while.

St. ELMO’S FIRE : Electric light seen flickering about the masts, yard arms and rigging during a storm.

EYE OF THE WIND : Where the wind is blowing from.
FATHOM : The full reach of a cack-handed deck ape with arms extended. A measure of six feet used to mark the depth of water using a lead or sounding line.

FILIBUSTER : A Spanish word for pirate. Trust them to have a fancy word for it.

FORE : The direction towards the stem of the ship. For land-lubbers, that’s the “front”.

FORECASTLE : The part of the upper deck forward of the foremast. Often this was was a built up section where some of the crew is housed.

FOREMAST : The foremost mast of the ship.

FURL : To roll up and secure. Usually referring to the sails.

FUTTOCK : A curved timber that forms a rib in the frame of a ship. One o’ the bits yer trip over.
GALLEON : A large Spanish merchant ship. Often full o’ booty, sometimes loaded with cannons. A bit old fashioned by the 18th Century.

GANGPLANK : A removable board or ramp used to board a ship from a pier.

GANGWAY : A passage along either side of a ship's upper deck that should be kept clear to move on at all times. Shouting “Gangway” is a good way to tell people they are in your way.

GIBBET : Chains or cages in which the rotting corpses of hung pirates are displayed in order to discourage piracy.

GO ON ACCOUNT : A gentlemanly way of sayin’ “I’ve become a pirate.”

GRAPE or Grapeshot : Small balls of lead or iron fired in quantity from a cannon. Makes a mess of soft targets like sails or people without damaging the ship too much.

GRENADE : An iron pot with a fuze, filled with gunpowder. Thrown onto the enemies decks before boarding.

GROG : Rum, sometimes mixed with water. Feelin’ “Groggy” is what ‘appens when yer drinks too much of it.

GUN : A cannon, not to be confused with a pistol or a musket.

GUNWALE or Gunnel : Originally the upper plank on the hull, binding the frame together. A term often used for the side of the ship, as in “Throw that bilge rat over the gunwale.”
HAIL : To call another vessel, usually to ask where she comes from and where she’s going. A traditional pirate hail is “Hove-to or we’ll blow ye out of the water.”

HALYARD : A line used to hoist a sail, spar, or flag

HANDS : The crew of the ship.

HARDTACK or Sea biscuit : A hard biscuit made from flour and water baked solid so it can be stored for a long time. Often full o’ weevils an’ maggots. Better than eating bilge rats, but not by much.

HEAVE-TO or Hove-to : Slowing the ship down and fixing its course. Often called out as an order from one ship to another, demanding the other ship strike sails and avast ye! moving in order to be boarded.

HEMPEN HARNESS : The hangman’s noose.

HOGSHEAD : A large barrel holding about a hundred gallons used for the shipment of wines and spirits.

HOLYSTONE or Bible : A stone used for scouring the wooden decks of a ship. About the size of an old Bible and used by sailors on their knees, hence the name.

HOLD : The interior of the hull below the decks.

HOVE-TO : Avast Ye! a ship from moving in the water.

HULL : The body of the ship, the bit that floats on the water below the masts, rigging and sails.
IMPRESS : To force into service. If thar weren’t enough willing to join a crew, others were recruited by force. A method often used by the British Navy.

IRONS or Bilboes : Long bars on which shackles are fixed with a lock at the end. Used for holding the legs of prisoners for as long as ye need to.
JACK : The British Union flag but also Jack or Jack Tar are familiar terms for an ordinary sailor.

JIB : A triangular sail in the forward part of the ship's rig and in small craft like sloops it is attached to the bowsprit or the bow.

JOLLY ROGER : A pirate flag often black an’ showing the skull-and-crossbones. Hoisted aloft it says “You’d better surrender because we’ll be annoyed if ye don’t.” A red flag says "We’re annoyed now an’ we’re going to make ye walk the plank all."

JURY-RIGGED : A ship fitted with temporary rigging, masts or sails when accident or attack has damaged the proper rig.
KEEL : The lowest timber of the ship's frame, running from Stem to Stern.

KEEL-HAULING : A horrific punishment where the victim is dragged under the ship with ropes attached to the other side of the hull. Not only was thar a good chance of drowning but the barnacles and other encrustations on the hull would cause terrible abrasions as the victim was hauled under.

KNOT : A measure of the ship’s speed made by counting the knots on a log-line paid out to a float for thirty seconds. A ship travelling at 8 knots is moving 8 nautical miles an hour.
LADDER : What an land-lubber would call “stairs” between decks on a ship.

LANDSMAN : A new recruit that has never been to sea before.

LANYARD : A short rope or cord used for hanging or securing something.

LEAGUE : A distance of three nautical miles.

LETTER OF MARQUE : A document given to a captain allowing him to attack enemy ships under the authority of the crown, in return for a cut of the loot. It makes a pirate sort of legal if you’re on the right side.

LINE : What a Land Lubber would call “a rope” in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line.

LOADED TO THE GUNNELLS : Drunk as can be. Not fit to sail a ship that’s for sure.

LOG : A record of the ship's course, progress, and any events of navigational importance.

LOG-LINE : A knotted length of line with a piece of wood at the end which is thrown into the water to determine how many "knots" run out in thirty seconds. See Knot.

LONG BOAT : A large ship carried by a ship which is used to move loads such as anchors, chains, ropes, or loot.

LONG CLOTHES : The type of clothing worn on land.

LOOKOUT : A crew member posted to keep watch, often from the crow’s nest, for other ships or signs of land.

LOOT : Stolen stuff.

LUBBER : An awkward, clumsy, unseamanlike fellow. LAND-LUBBER : The worst kind of Lubber, one that’s never even been to sea before.
MAIN-MAST : The largest and most central mast of the ship.

MAN-OF-WAR : A warship designed and equipped for battle

MARLINSPIKE : An iron pointed tool used to separate the strands of a rope for splicing

MAROONING : Abandoning a person on a deserted coast or island with very few supplies. Usually resulting in a slow death by starvation or thirst. If ye were rescued you’d probably be hung because people presumed ye were a pirate.

MAKE FAST : Tying or securing ropes. Fast is usually used in the sense of “fasten” on ship.

MIZEN-MAST: The aftermost mast of the ship. The one at the “back” for the land-lubbers

MUTINY : Revolt or determined disobedience on a ship. Punishable by death in the British Navy.
NAVIGATOR : A crew member skilled in the art of navigation. Combining seamanship and knowledge of nautical astronomy. A skilled navigator could guide a ship from port to port often with no sight of land for months on end.

NEWGATE BIRDS : Men sent to serve on British Navy ships in place of serving a sentence in prison.

NO PREY, NO PAY : This means ye won’t get paid unless we capture some ships.
OAKUM : The remains of old ropes that have become untwisted or picked to pieces, sometimes called “tow”. This material was often used to stuff into cracks in the ship’s hull with tar to seal it from water.

ORLOP: The lowest deck, immediately above the hold.
PAINTER : A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her fast.

PIECES OF EIGHT : Spanish silver coins worth eight "reales.," could be cut into eight pieces, each worth one reale.

PINNACE : A light ship propelled by sails or oars, used for travelling between ship and shore.

PIRACY or Pyracy : Robbery at sea.

PIRATE or Pyrate : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without letters of marque.

PIRATE ROUND : A route from North America to the Indian Ocean taking advantage of seasonal winds and trade.

PISTOL PROOF : Very lucky, the sort of fellow that always seems to make the right choices.

PLUNDER : To rob, steal and generally make of with everybody’s loot.

POOP DECK : The uppermost deck at the stern of a ship, usually above the captain’s quarters.

PORT : A seaport or the left side of the ship which is normally the side ye bring in to port.

POWDER MONKEY : A crew member whose job during battle was to run back and forth from the ship's powder hold carrying black powder for the guns.

PRESSGANG : A company of men sent a’shore to force men into service on a ship, usually a Navy one but sometimes a pirate ship.

PRIVATEER : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea with letters of marque from a government.

PRIZE : A captured ship and its cargo.

PROW : For the lubbers that’s the pointy bit at the front of the ship.

PURSER : An officer on a ship responsible for provisions and clothing. Such provisions were often sold to sailors on credit against their next payment which meant the sailors never actually managed to keep any of their money when they were finally paid.
QUADRANT : A navigation tool used to measure the altitude of the sun. Largely replaced by the back-staff.

QUARTER : If we offer ye quarter it means we’ll treat ye well if ye surrender. If we say “No Quarter” it means we’ll kill the lot of yer.

QUARTER-DECK : The uppermost deck abaft the main mast. The “sticky up bit at the back” for the land-lubbers.

QUARTER-MASTER : On pirate ships the quartermaster was responsible for stores, provisions and booty. In most cases he was second in charge to the captain.
RAMSHACKLE : Out of repair, disorderly.

RATLINE : Horizontal lines run along the shrouds to form a ladder for the crew to use in getting up into the rigging.

REEF - An underwater obstacle of rock or coral that will tear a great hole in the bottom of the ship if ye hit it. Also “to reef the sails” means tying them up a bit to reduce to area of sail in a strong wind.

RIGGING : Any or all of the ropes or chains used to support the masts and arrange the sails. Those that are “standing” are fixed, while those that are “running” are used to adjust the yards and sails.

RIG OF A SHIP : The set of masts, ropes and sails that makes up the true character of a ship.

ROPE : Is made of hemp or other stuff, spun into yarns and strands and twisted together into cordage. When it is put to use in the rigging it is then called a line, not a rope. If a rope is just coiled up on deck, not being used for anything, then ye can call it a rope, not a line.

RUTTER : A book of charts, a journal, log book or set of sailing instructions used by a navigator.
SALMAGUNGI : A savoury dish made of cured fish and onions.

SCUPPERS : Vents on a ship's deck that allow water to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" means get rid of something by chucking it overboard.

SCURVY : A common disease among sailors caused by vitamin C deficiency causing spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin and extreme weakness. This lead to the British Navy giving their crews lime juice and being called “limeys” by the American sailors.

SCUTTLE : To deliberately sink a ship by making a hole in the hull.

SEA LEGS : A cack-handed deck ape is said to have his sea legs when he can stand steady on the deck of a ship pitching and rolling on the waves. Sometimes a sailor, used to this motion, takes a while to get his land legs back when he goes a’shore which makes him swagger a bit as he walks.

SHEET : A line running from the bottom corner of a sail so ye can adjust it for the wind

SHROUDS : Part of the standing rigging used to support the masts.

SLOOP : A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged ship much favoured by pirates because of its speed, shallow draught and fast turning ability.

SLOW MATCH : A cord of braided hemp, often infused with saltpetre, that burned slowly like a candle wick and was applied to powder in the touch hole of a cannon in order to fire it.

SOUNDING LINE or lead : An instrument for measuring the depth of the water, a line with a lead weight on the end and marked in fathoms.

SPANKER : A fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff. The aftermost sail of a ship sometimes called the driver.

SQUARE-RIGGED : Fitted mostly with square sails.

STARBOARD : The right side of the ship when ye are facing forward. Opposite side to port.

STARTING ROPE : A short length of heavy rope with a knot in the end that the Bosun uses to beat crew members to make them work harder.

STEM : The foremost timber of the frame.

STERN : The aftermost part of the ship. That’s the back for the lubbers.

STERN CHASER
STINK POT
STRIKE COLORS
SWAB
SWIVEL GUN
TAR
TARPAULIN
TELL-TALE
THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND
TOGS
TOP SAILS
UPPER DECK
VENT
VOLLEY
WALKING THE PLANK
WATCH FIRST WATCH MIDDLE WATCH MORNING WATCH FORENOON WATCH AFTERNOON WATCH DOG WATCHES

WATCH GLASS
WEIGH ANCHOR
X MARKS THE SPOT
YARD
YELLOW JACK
YO HO HO

Popular Lunatic

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LizzieBorden40
me have trying to figure what out myslef young lass


i found out how to get it. You need to keep posting those long message like 20 times till you get like 3500GC n then ull get that patch

Phantom

Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags! Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast! Lass! Wench! Ahoy! Beauty! Belay! Bounty! Bilge rat! Buccaneer! Cap'n! Davy Jones' Locker! Dubloons. Gangway! Hearties! Landlubber! Lily-livered! Seven seas. Plunderin' and Sailin'! Jolly Roger.

Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, Drink and the devil had done for the rest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight, With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight, And we heaved 'em over and out of sight, With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well, And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell, Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Scurvy dog! Pirate life on a ship. Avast ye ayeterday!, gold dubloon my bonny booty briny deep ocean, arrgh shiver me timbers yar walk the plank, hoist the jolly rogers, Arrr

Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey, Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow, pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy, Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust, Ahoy! - Hello! Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend! Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!" All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - aye Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing Bilge-sucking - insult Blimey! - exhortation of surprise Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!" Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone Booty - booty Buccaneer - a pirate Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes Feed the fish - will soon die Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle Head - the pirate ship's toilet Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle Me - my Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts Old Salt - an experienced sailor Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom. Privateer - government-sponsored pirates Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult Scuttle - to sink a ship Seadog - old pirate or sailor Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker Shipshape - cleaned up and under control Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!" Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out. Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going Ye - ye Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention Ye've Landlubber Arrrg! Avast Ye Scurvy Parrot Sea Ahoy Ye Matey Shiver me timbers seven seas poop deck walk the plank ships parrot pegleg hook cannon Davy Jones' Locker poop deck doubloons booty loot booty buccaneer
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!

Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Lol!
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot booty buccaneer
A

Aft – The back of the ship.

Ahoy! – ‘Hello’

Arr – Yes/That’s great/I agree

Aye – ‘Yes, definitely.’

Aye Aye – ‘Of course, I’ll do that now.’

B

Barbary Coast – Mediterranean coast off of North Africa.

Be – Use instead of ‘am’, ‘are’ or ‘is’.

Bilboes – Leg irons attached to the deck of a ship.

Bilge – The dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship.

Bilge rat – A rat that lives in the dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship. This is not a nice name to call somebody.

Black Spotted – A person/animal that has had a curse put on them.

Blimey – ‘Wow.’

Booty – Riches that have usually been stolen.

Bounty – A reward, usually paid by the Government for the capture of a criminal.

Buccanneer – Pirates, usually from Hispaniola, who attacked Spanish ships in the Caribbean.

Bucko – Friend

C

Careen – To clean the hull of a ship.

Cat’o’nine tails – A whip made up of nine knotted ropes and used as punishment.

Convoy – A group of ships traveling together.

Corsair – Pirates in the Mediterranean.

Crow’s Nest – A lookout point at the top of the highest mast of a ship.

Cutlass – A curved sword, often used by sailors.

D

Davy Jones Locker – The bottom of the ocean.

Deck – The highest floor on a ship.

Deckhand – A person working on a ship, sometimes shortened to ‘hand’.

Dubloon – An old Spainish gold coin.

F

Fair Winds – ‘Good Luck.’

Flog – To whip.

Fore – Short for ‘forward’.

G

Galleon – A large, squarish ship used in war or to carry cargo.

Gangway – ‘Clear a path.’

Grog – Rum mixed with water or any kind of alcohol.

Grub – Food

H

Hands – Crewmen.

Haven – A safe place.

Heave to – To change the direction of the ship so it is facing forwards into the wind.

Hold – The space in a ship where cargo or prisoners were kept.

Hornpipe – A dance or a single reeded musical instrument.

Hornswaggle – To cheat.

Hornswaggler – A person who cheats.

Hulk – The old, dismantled body of a ship, sometimes used as prisons.

Hull – The body of a ship, not including the masts and rigging.

J

Jack Tar – Sailor

Jolly Roger – The pirate flag - a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

K

Keel – The main framework of a ship that runs from the front to the back at the bottom of the ship.

Keelhaul – To pull somebody under the keel of a ship. Done by using ropes and often as a form of punishment.

L

Lad – Young man.

Land ahoy! – ‘I see land.’

Land lubber or lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

Lass – Young woman.

Leg Irons – Wide rings of metal that were attached to each other and fastened around prisoner’s ankles.

Loot – Gold and riches usually stolen.

Lubber or land lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

M

Marooned – Left alone, usually on a deserted island.

Mast – The upright pole on a ship that the sails and ropes are attached to.

Mate or Matey – Friend

Me – Used instead of ‘my’.

Me beauty – How ye would address a pretty lady or something important to you.

Me hearties – Friends

Merchant Ship – A ship carrying cargo to be sold.

Mutiny – When a ship’s crew refuse to follow the captain’s orders.

N

New World - America

P

Peg leg – An artificial leg, usually wooden.

Pieces of Eight – An old Spanish silver coin.

Pirate – A ‘robber of the sea’.

Plunder – To steal.

Poop deck – The floor that is also the roof of a cabin built on the upper deck.

Poop cabin – A room built on the top deck of a ship, often the Captain’s.

Port – The left side when facing the ship’s pointy end, also a strong alcoholic drink, and the area of land next to where ships are left when the pirates go ashore.

Privateer – English, French or Dutch sailors allowed by their Government to attack enemy ships.

Prow – The pointy end of a ship.

Q

Quartermaster – The sailor second-in-charge to the Captain.

R

Rigging – The ropes, mast and sails on a ship.

S

Salt or Old Salt – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Sea dog – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Scurvy – A disease many sailors got because they didn’t eat enough vitamin C.

Scuttle – To make a hole in a ship’s hull or to sink the ship.

Shanty – A seafaring song.

Shipshape – To be neat and tidy.

Shiver me timbers – ‘What a surprise.’

Sink me – ‘What a surprise.’

Smartly – Quickly

Starboard – The right side of the ship (if ye are facing the pointed end).

Swab – To clean something or a name for somebody ye don’t like very much.

Swag – Gold and riches.

T

To be three sheets to the wind – To have three sheets to the wind too much alcohol.

Titivate – To clean up and make neat.

W

Walk the plank – To be forced to walk along and off the end of a plank that has been placed over the side of a ship.

Weevil – A kind of beetle that can eat your food before ye do.

Weigh anchor – To lift the anchor and be ready to sail.

Y

Ye – Used instead of ‘you’.

Yer – Used instead of ‘your’.

Addled
Mad, insane, or just stupid. An "addlepate" is a fool.
Aft Short for "after." Toward the rear of the ship.
Ahoy Hello!
Avast! Hey! Could also be used as "Stop that!" or "Who goes there?"
Begad! By God!
Belay Avast Ye! that. "Belay that talk!" would mean "Shut up!"
Bilge! Nonsense, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater—or just "bilge."
Bilge-sucking A very uncomplimentary adjective.
Black Spot

To "place the Black Spot" on another pirate is to sentence him to death, to warn him he is marked for death, or sometimes just to accuse him of a serious crime before other pirates.
Blaggard Blackguard. An insult.
Blimey! An exclamation of surprise.
Booty Loot.
Bosun Boatswain, a petty officer.
Bucko Familiar term. "Me bucko" = "my friend."
Cap'n Short for "captain."
Cat o'nine tails A whip with many lashes, used for flogging. "A taste of the cat" might refer to a full flogging, or just a single blow to "smarten up" a recalcitrant hand.
Chantey A sailor's work song. Also spelled "shantey" or "shanty."
Corsair A more romantic term for pirate. But still a pirate.
Davy Jones' locker The bottom of the sea.
Deadlights Eyes. "Use yer deadlights, matey!"
Dead men tell no tales Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors.
Dog A mild insult, perhaps even a friendly one.
Doubloon A Spanish gold coin. At different times, it was worth either 4 or 16 silver pesos, or "pieces of eight."
Fair winds!

Goodbye, good luck!
Feed the fish What ye do when ye are thrown into the sea, dead or alive.
Gangway! "Get out of my way!"
Godspeed! Goodbye, good luck!
Grub Food.
Fore, or forrard Toward the front end of the ship.
Flogging Punishment by caning, or by whipping with the cat.
Hands The crew of a ship; sailors.
Handsomely Quickly. "Handsomely now, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Jack Ketch The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jollyboat

A small but happy craft, perhaps even one which is a little dinghy.
Jolly Roger The pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag. It was an invitation to surrender, with the implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated "no quarter."
Keelhaul Punishment by dragging under the ship, from one side to the other. The victim of a keelhauling would be half-drowned, or worse, and lacerated by the barnacles that grew beneath the ship.
Kiss the gunner's daughter A punishment: to be bent over one of the ship's guns and flogged.
Lad, lass, lassie A way to address someone younger than you.
Landlubber or just lubber A non-sailor.
Lights Lungs. A pirate might threaten to "have someone's lights and liver."
Line A rope in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line. When a rope is just coiled up on deck, not yet being used for anything, it's all right to call it a rope.
Lookout Someone posted to keep watch on the horizon for other ships or signs of land.
Maroon A common punishment for violation of a pirate ship's articles, or offending her crew. The victim was left on a deserted coast (or, island) with few supplies. That way, no one could say that the unlucky pirate had actually been killed by his former brethren.
Me A piratical way to say "my."
Me hearties Typical way for a pirate leader to address his crew.
Matey A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if not necessarily friendly, fashion.
No quarter! Surrender will not be accepted.
Piece of eight

A Spanish silver coin worth one peso or 8 reales. It was sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
Pillage To raid, rob, and sack a target ashore.
Pirate A seagoing robber and murderer. Contrast with privateer.
Poop deck The highest deck at the aft end of a large ship. Smaller ships don't have a poop; the highest part aft is the quarterdeck.
Poxy, poxed Diseased. Used as an insult.
Rope's end Another term for flogging. "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
Rum (noun) Traditional pirate drink.
Rum (adjective) Strange or odd. A "rum fellow" is a peculiar person, the sort who won't say "Arrrr!" on Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Sail ho! "I see a ship!" The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
Salt, old salt An experienced seaman.
Scurvy (1) A deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C, often afflicting sailors;
(2) A derogatory adjective for an epithet, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
Sea dog An experienced seaman.
Shanty Another spelling for "chantey" - a sea song.
Shark bait

(1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.).
(2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
Shiver me timbers! An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! An expression of surprise.
Smartly

Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Splice the mainbrace To have a drink. Or, perhaps, several drinks.
Spyglass A telescope.
Starboard The right side of the ship when ye are facing toward her prow.
Sutler A merchant in port, selling what a ship needed for supplies and repairs.
Swab (noun) A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
Swab (verb) To clean something. "Swabbing the decks" would be a mild penalty for a disobedient pirate.
Swag Loot.
Wench An individual of the female persuasion. "Saucy" is a good adjective to add to this, and if ye can get away with "Me proud beauty,” more power to ye!
Yo-ho-ho

Thar be a bunch o’ words an’ sayin’s used by salty old sea dogs that don’t make much sense to a landsman, so here’s a few of ‘em to help yer get yer sea legs.
ABBEY LUBBER : A loiterer that could work but will not.

ABEAM : The direction at right angles to the hull. To either side of the ship

ABLE SEAMAN : A skilled sailor

ABRAHAM MEN : Vagabonds that beg by pretendin’ to ‘ave been discharged with no money from ships.

ADDLE : Putrid water in the water barrels.

ADRIFT : Floating about out of control.

ADVENTURE : An enterprise in which something is risked or left to chance.

AFEARD : A common way of saying afraid.

AFT. or Abaft : The direction towards the stern of the ship. That’s the “back” for land-lubbers.

AHOY : A shout used to get someone’s attention.

ALOFT : The top part of the masts and rigging.

AMBUSH : Hiding so as to attack without warnin’.

ARRR : A multipurpose mostly positive exclamation not to be confused with ARRRGH which is usually negative.

ARTHUR : A well known sea game.

ARTICLES : A set of rules which govern pirate’s behaviour on a vessel.

A SHORT DROP AND A QUICK STOP : A reference to hanging.

AURORA : The faint light seen before sunrise.

AVAST : Stop, hold, cease or desist. AVAST YE SCURVY DOGS : Avast Ye! that now or there’ll be trouble.

AYE : A way of sayin’ yes. AYE AYE : A way of sayin’ aye to someone that’s a bit deaf.
BACK-O’-BEYOND : A long way from anywhere. Usually where ye don’t want t’ be

BACK-STAFF : A tool the navigator uses to work out how high the sun is in the sky. Helps ‘im work out where we are, while everybody else is scratching their heads.

BALLAST : Heavy stuff in the hold of the ship to keep her steady.

BARKING IRONS : Large duelling pistols.

BARNACLE : A type of shell fish that sticks to the bottom of the ship's hull. If too many get attached they’ll slow the ship down so they need to be scraped off regularly.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Means cover the hatches to the lower decks with canvas during a storm to avast ye! water from getting belowdecks.

BEATING : Sailin’ towards the wind in a zig zag line.

BEATING THE BOOBY : Slapping of hands around your arms to warm your self up on a cold watch.

BECALMED : Not able to sail because thar is no wind.

BEFORE THE MAST : The station of a sailor that is not an officer.

BELAY : To secure, tie up or make fast, often another way of sayin’ stop.

BELAYING PIN : A wooden rod sitting in a hole on the rail that a rope can be tied to temporarily. A useful improvised weapon aboard a sailing ship because they’re everywhere and just right for a club.

BELL : Every half hour of a four hour watch the ship’s bell is rung to show how many half hours have passed. If an hour has past it would be rung twice and we would say the time was “two bells” of that watch.

BILBOES : A method of securing captives by means of a metal bar to which shackles be fixed. This is what we means when we say “Clap him in irons.”

BILGE : The lowest part of the ship. Wet, musty and full of rats.

BLACK JACK : Another name for a pirate flag.

BLACK SPOT : A black mark on a piece of paper that means “We’re going to get ya” or somethin’ like that.

BLEEDING THE MONKEY : Stealin’ the grog.

BLETHERING : Talking nonsense.

BLOODY FLAG : A red flag we use to say ”We’re goin’ to kill the lot of yer.”

BLOW THE GAFF : Givin’ away a secret or informin’.

BLUNDERBUSS : A short fire arm with a wide mouth that scatters musket balls over a wide area.

BOSUN (also Boatswain) : An officer on the ship who is in charge of the ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew.

BOOM : A long spar extending from the mast to extend the foot of a sail. Also the sound a cannon makes when fired at the enemy.

BOOTY : That be booty to ye or me.

BOREAS : A name for the North wind.

BOW : The front of the ship or boat.

BOW CHASERS : A pair of guns mounted in the bow to fire directly ahead.

BOWSPRIT : The slanted spar that sticks out over the bow of the ship and is used to support the fore-mast and spread the fore stay sail.

BRIGANTINE or Brig : A two-masted ship, square-rigged on both masts.

BROAD ARROW : The British royal mark for government stores.

BROADSIDE : Side by side with another ship, a good place to be if ye have more guns than them, a very bad place to be if they have more than you. A “Broadside" has come to mean firing all the cannon on one side of one ship into the side of another.

BUCCANEER : A pirate, especially one that preyed on Spanish shipping in the West Indies during the 17th century.

BULLYRAG : Insulting in a noisy threatening way.

BURGOO : A dish made of boiled oat-meal seasoned with salt, butter and sugar.

BUTTER FINGERED : Careless, clumsy and likely to drop things.

BY THE WIND : Sailin’ in the same direction as the wind’s blowin’.
CABIN : What land-lubber would call a “room” on a ship.

CABLE : A heavy rope or chain often used for mooring or anchoring a ship.

CABLE’S LENGTH : A measure of about 100 fathoms and used to estimate the distances of ships in a fleet.

CACKLE FRUIT : Hen’s eggs

CAESAR’S PENNY : The tip given by a recruiting sergeant. Taking this money meant ye had received your first payment and therefor were recruited into service and could not refuse.

CALALOO : A dish of fish and vegetables.

CANISTER SHOT or Case shot : A package of small iron balls loaded into a gun to be used against sailors without causing too much damage to the ship.

CANVAS : A cloth made from hemp and used for the sails. A ship in motion by her sails is said to be “Under canvas.”

CAPTAIN or Cap’n : The master of the ship. A pirate captain was voted into command by the crew and had absolute authority in battle and ruled by consent at other times, assisted by the Quartermaster.

CAPSTAN : A winch used for hauling heavy weights like the anchor. A vertical cylinder with handles that is rotated manually by several of the crew and around which a cable is wound.

CARDINAL POINTS : The general name for the north, east, south and west points on the horizon.

CAREENING : Taking the ship into shallow waters or out of the water altogether to scrape off barnacles, weed and all the other pesky stuff that likes to grow on the bottom of the hull. It’s a tough job but it has to be done if we want to keep the ship moving fast in the water.

CARPENTER : A skilled crew member in charge of repairing all wooden parts of a ship. As most of the ship is made of wood that makes him a very important person to have of board a pirate ship.

CASK : A barrel for liquid or solid provisions.

CAST-AWAY : Shipwrecked.

CAT O'NINE TAILS or Cat : A whip with nine lashes used for flogging, a punishment much used by the British Navy. Sometime made by untwisting a three strand rope and re-laying it into the nine strands.

CAULKING : Oakum or old rope jammed into cracks in the ships hull and treated with pitch to waterproof it.

CHAIN SHOT : Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high to cut the masts and rigging of a ship.

CHART or Sea chart : What some lubbers would call a map and not likely to be marked with an X that’s for sure.

CHASE GUN : A cannon mounted at the bow of the ship, used when chasing another ship.

CHIVEY : A knife.

CHOWDER : A stew of codfish, salt pork, biscuit and lots of pepper.

CHOWDER-HEADED or Chuckle-headed : Stupid or foolish.

CHRISTIAN : A Danish gold coin.

CLOSE-HAULED or Close to the wind : A ship sailing as much towards the wind as she can.

COCKED HAT : A three cornered hat with it’s brim turned up at the sides. Also called a Tricorne.

CODGER : An easy going but steady man, one that will not move faster than he pleases.

COD-LINE : A light line.

COLOURS : The flags or banners that mark ships of different nations. Pirates often flew false colours to get close to their targets before raising the black jack.

COMBING THE CAT : The Bosun running his fingers through the cat o'nine tails to separate them.

COMPASS : An instrument with a magnetic needle that points towards the North. It is marked with the cardinal points, north, east, south and west and then further divided into thirty two points in all. Modern compasses are divided into 360 points or degrees.

CONTRABAND : Cargo forbidden by law to be supplied to an enemy. A profitable trade for pirates.

COOPER : A skilled crew member in charge of making, repairing and taking apart barrels for storage.

CORDAGE : A general term for the running rigging of a ship and any rope kept in reserve.

CORSAIR : A pirate operating around the Mediterranean Sea.

COT : A wooden framed bed suspended from the beams of the ship for the officers. Slightly more comfortable than the hammocks used by the crew.

COXSWAIN or Coxson: The person who steers a ship's ship and is in charge of its crew.

CROW'S NEST : A small platform, near the top of a mast. A good place to watch out for other ships or land.

CUTLASS : A short sword used for fighting on board ships.
DANCE THE HEMPEN JIG : To be hanged. The fate waitin’ for many a pirate.

DAVY JONES : The dark spirit of the sea. DAVY JONES’S LOCKER : The bottom of the sea where nothing is lost because ye know where it is. Where everything thrown overboard ends up, including the bodies of sailors buried at sea.

DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES : A good reason for leavin’ no survivors.

DEAD RECKONING : Estimating a ship’s position by working out speed and direction of travel. Not as accurate as using astronomical methods.

DITTY BAG : A small duffle bag used by a crewman to store their personal equipment and belongings.

DITTY BOX : A small box or chest for holding a seaman’s valuables.

DOG’S BODY : Dried peas boiled in a cloth.

DOUBLE DUTCH : Gibberish or any unintelligible language.

DOUBLOON : A golden Spanish coin. Worth about seven week's pay to an average sailor.

DRAFT : The depth of a ship’s keel below the water line. The depth of water needed to float a vessel.

DUDS : Clothing, and not very good clothing at that.
EAGLE or Spread Eagle : A punishment where the offender is tied hand and foot to the rigging and left thar for a while.

St. ELMO’S FIRE : Electric light seen flickering about the masts, yard arms and rigging during a storm.

EYE OF THE WIND : Where the wind is blowing from.
FATHOM : The full reach of a cack-handed deck ape with arms extended. A measure of six feet used to mark the depth of water using a lead or sounding line.

FILIBUSTER : A Spanish word for pirate. Trust them to have a fancy word for it.

FORE : The direction towards the stem of the ship. For land-lubbers, that’s the “front”.

FORECASTLE : The part of the upper deck forward of the foremast. Often this was was a built up section where some of the crew is housed.

FOREMAST : The foremost mast of the ship.

FURL : To roll up and secure. Usually referring to the sails.

FUTTOCK : A curved timber that forms a rib in the frame of a ship. One o’ the bits yer trip over.
GALLEON : A large Spanish merchant ship. Often full o’ booty, sometimes loaded with cannons. A bit old fashioned by the 18th Century.

GANGPLANK : A removable board or ramp used to board a ship from a pier.

GANGWAY : A passage along either side of a ship's upper deck that should be kept clear to move on at all times. Shouting “Gangway” is a good way to tell people they are in your way.

GIBBET : Chains or cages in which the rotting corpses of hung pirates are displayed in order to discourage piracy.

GO ON ACCOUNT : A gentlemanly way of sayin’ “I’ve become a pirate.”

GRAPE or Grapeshot : Small balls of lead or iron fired in quantity from a cannon. Makes a mess of soft targets like sails or people without damaging the ship too much.

GRENADE : An iron pot with a fuze, filled with gunpowder. Thrown onto the enemies decks before boarding.

GROG : Rum, sometimes mixed with water. Feelin’ “Groggy” is what ‘appens when yer drinks too much of it.

GUN : A cannon, not to be confused with a pistol or a musket.

GUNWALE or Gunnel : Originally the upper plank on the hull, binding the frame together. A term often used for the side of the ship, as in “Throw that bilge rat over the gunwale.”
HAIL : To call another vessel, usually to ask where she comes from and where she’s going. A traditional pirate hail is “Hove-to or we’ll blow ye out of the water.”

HALYARD : A line used to hoist a sail, spar, or flag

HANDS : The crew of the ship.

HARDTACK or Sea biscuit : A hard biscuit made from flour and water baked solid so it can be stored for a long time. Often full o’ weevils an’ maggots. Better than eating bilge rats, but not by much.

HEAVE-TO or Hove-to : Slowing the ship down and fixing its course. Often called out as an order from one ship to another, demanding the other ship strike sails and avast ye! moving in order to be boarded.

HEMPEN HARNESS : The hangman’s noose.

HOGSHEAD : A large barrel holding about a hundred gallons used for the shipment of wines and spirits.

HOLYSTONE or Bible : A stone used for scouring the wooden decks of a ship. About the size of an old Bible and used by sailors on their knees, hence the name.

HOLD : The interior of the hull below the decks.

HOVE-TO : Avast Ye! a ship from moving in the water.

HULL : The body of the ship, the bit that floats on the water below the masts, rigging and sails.
IMPRESS : To force into service. If thar weren’t enough willing to join a crew, others were recruited by force. A method often used by the British Navy.

IRONS or Bilboes : Long bars on which shackles are fixed with a lock at the end. Used for holding the legs of prisoners for as long as ye need to.
JACK : The British Union flag but also Jack or Jack Tar are familiar terms for an ordinary sailor.

JIB : A triangular sail in the forward part of the ship's rig and in small craft like sloops it is attached to the bowsprit or the bow.

JOLLY ROGER : A pirate flag often black an’ showing the skull-and-crossbones. Hoisted aloft it says “You’d better surrender because we’ll be annoyed if ye don’t.” A red flag says "We’re annoyed now an’ we’re going to make ye walk the plank all."

JURY-RIGGED : A ship fitted with temporary rigging, masts or sails when accident or attack has damaged the proper rig.
KEEL : The lowest timber of the ship's frame, running from Stem to Stern.

KEEL-HAULING : A horrific punishment where the victim is dragged under the ship with ropes attached to the other side of the hull. Not only was thar a good chance of drowning but the barnacles and other encrustations on the hull would cause terrible abrasions as the victim was hauled under.

KNOT : A measure of the ship’s speed made by counting the knots on a log-line paid out to a float for thirty seconds. A ship travelling at 8 knots is moving 8 nautical miles an hour.
LADDER : What an land-lubber would call “stairs” between decks on a ship.

LANDSMAN : A new recruit that has never been to sea before.

LANYARD : A short rope or cord used for hanging or securing something.

LEAGUE : A distance of three nautical miles.

LETTER OF MARQUE : A document given to a captain allowing him to attack enemy ships under the authority of the crown, in return for a cut of the loot. It makes a pirate sort of legal if you’re on the right side.

LINE : What a Land Lubber would call “a rope” in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line.

LOADED TO THE GUNNELLS : Drunk as can be. Not fit to sail a ship that’s for sure.

LOG : A record of the ship's course, progress, and any events of navigational importance.

LOG-LINE : A knotted length of line with a piece of wood at the end which is thrown into the water to determine how many "knots" run out in thirty seconds. See Knot.

LONG BOAT : A large ship carried by a ship which is used to move loads such as anchors, chains, ropes, or loot.

LONG CLOTHES : The type of clothing worn on land.

LOOKOUT : A crew member posted to keep watch, often from the crow’s nest, for other ships or signs of land.

LOOT : Stolen stuff.

LUBBER : An awkward, clumsy, unseamanlike fellow. LAND-LUBBER : The worst kind of Lubber, one that’s never even been to sea before.
MAIN-MAST : The largest and most central mast of the ship.

MAN-OF-WAR : A warship designed and equipped for battle

MARLINSPIKE : An iron pointed tool used to separate the strands of a rope for splicing

MAROONING : Abandoning a person on a deserted coast or island with very few supplies. Usually resulting in a slow death by starvation or thirst. If ye were rescued you’d probably be hung because people presumed ye were a pirate.

MAKE FAST : Tying or securing ropes. Fast is usually used in the sense of “fasten” on ship.

MIZEN-MAST: The aftermost mast of the ship. The one at the “back” for the land-lubbers

MUTINY : Revolt or determined disobedience on a ship. Punishable by death in the British Navy.
NAVIGATOR : A crew member skilled in the art of navigation. Combining seamanship and knowledge of nautical astronomy. A skilled navigator could guide a ship from port to port often with no sight of land for months on end.

NEWGATE BIRDS : Men sent to serve on British Navy ships in place of serving a sentence in prison.

NO PREY, NO PAY : This means ye won’t get paid unless we capture some ships.
OAKUM : The remains of old ropes that have become untwisted or picked to pieces, sometimes called “tow”. This material was often used to stuff into cracks in the ship’s hull with tar to seal it from water.

ORLOP: The lowest deck, immediately above the hold.
PAINTER : A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her fast.

PIECES OF EIGHT : Spanish silver coins worth eight "reales.," could be cut into eight pieces, each worth one reale.

PINNACE : A light ship propelled by sails or oars, used for travelling between ship and shore.

PIRACY or Pyracy : Robbery at sea.

PIRATE or Pyrate : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without letters of marque.

PIRATE ROUND : A route from North America to the Indian Ocean taking advantage of seasonal winds and trade.

PISTOL PROOF : Very lucky, the sort of fellow that always seems to make the right choices.

PLUNDER : To rob, steal and generally make of with everybody’s loot.

POOP DECK : The uppermost deck at the stern of a ship, usually above the captain’s quarters.

PORT : A seaport or the left side of the ship which is normally the side ye bring in to port.

POWDER MONKEY : A crew member whose job during battle was to run back and forth from the ship's powder hold carrying black powder for the guns.

PRESSGANG : A company of men sent a’shore to force men into service on a ship, usually a Navy one but sometimes a pirate ship.

PRIVATEER : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea with letters of marque from a government.

PRIZE : A captured ship and its cargo.

PROW : For the lubbers that’s the pointy bit at the front of the ship.

PURSER : An officer on a ship responsible for provisions and clothing. Such provisions were often sold to sailors on credit against their next payment which meant the sailors never actually managed to keep any of their money when they were finally paid.
QUADRANT : A navigation tool used to measure the altitude of the sun. Largely replaced by the back-staff.

QUARTER : If we offer ye quarter it means we’ll treat ye well if ye surrender. If we say “No Quarter” it means we’ll kill the lot of yer.

QUARTER-DECK : The uppermost deck abaft the main mast. The “sticky up bit at the back” for the land-lubbers.

QUARTER-MASTER : On pirate ships the quartermaster was responsible for stores, provisions and booty. In most cases he was second in charge to the captain.
RAMSHACKLE : Out of repair, disorderly.

RATLINE : Horizontal lines run along the shrouds to form a ladder for the crew to use in getting up into the rigging.

REEF - An underwater obstacle of rock or coral that will tear a great hole in the bottom of the ship if ye hit it. Also “to reef the sails” means tying them up a bit to reduce to area of sail in a strong wind.

RIGGING : Any or all of the ropes or chains used to support the masts and arrange the sails. Those that are “standing” are fixed, while those that are “running” are used to adjust the yards and sails.

RIG OF A SHIP : The set of masts, ropes and sails that makes up the true character of a ship.

ROPE : Is made of hemp or other stuff, spun into yarns and strands and twisted together into cordage. When it is put to use in the rigging it is then called a line, not a rope. If a rope is just coiled up on deck, not being used for anything, then ye can call it a rope, not a line.

RUTTER : A book of charts, a journal, log book or set of sailing instructions used by a navigator.
SALMAGUNGI : A savoury dish made of cured fish and onions.

SCUPPERS : Vents on a ship's deck that allow water to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" means get rid of something by chucking it overboard.

SCURVY : A common disease among sailors caused by vitamin C deficiency causing spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin and extreme weakness. This lead to the British Navy giving their crews lime juice and being called “limeys” by the American sailors.

SCUTTLE : To deliberately sink a ship by making a hole in the hull.

SEA LEGS : A cack-handed deck ape is said to have his sea legs when he can stand steady on the deck of a ship pitching and rolling on the waves. Sometimes a sailor, used to this motion, takes a while to get his land legs back when he goes a’shore which makes him swagger a bit as he walks.

SHEET : A line running from the bottom corner of a sail so ye can adjust it for the wind

SHROUDS : Part of the standing rigging used to support the masts.

SLOOP : A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged ship much favoured by pirates because of its speed, shallow draught and fast turning ability.

SLOW MATCH : A cord of braided hemp, often infused with saltpetre, that burned slowly like a candle wick and was applied to powder in the touch hole of a cannon in order to fire it.

SOUNDING LINE or lead : An instrument for measuring the depth of the water, a line with a lead weight on the end and marked in fathoms.

SPANKER : A fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff. The aftermost sail of a ship sometimes called the driver.

SQUARE-RIGGED : Fitted mostly with square sails.

STARBOARD : The right side of the ship when ye are facing forward. Opposite side to port.

STARTING ROPE : A short length of heavy rope with a knot in the end that the Bosun uses to beat crew members to make them work harder.

STEM : The foremost timber of the frame.

STERN : The aftermost part of the ship. That’s the back for the lubbers.




I heart lRON MAlDEN








STERN CHASER
STINK POT
STRIKE COLORS
SWAB
SWIVEL GUN
TAR
TARPAULIN
TELL-TALE
THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND
TOGS
TOP SAILS
UPPER DECK
VENT
VOLLEY
WALKING THE PLANK
WATCH FIRST WATCH MIDDLE WATCH MORNING WATCH FORENOON WATCH AFTERNOON WATCH DOG WATCHES

WATCH GLASS
WEIGH ANCHOR
X MARKS THE SPOT
YARD
YELLOW JACK
YO HO HO

pirate

Beloved Bloodsucker

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COPY/PASTE THIS CODE.

Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.
We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight
With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight
And we heaved 'em over and out of sight,
With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well
And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell
Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker,
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer

Tipsy Pyromaniac

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  • Firestarter 200
Fifteen men on a dead cack-handed deck ape's chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum, Drink and the devil had done for the rest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. We wrapped 'em all in a mains'l tight, With twice ten turns of a hawser's bight, And we heaved 'em over and out of sight, With a Yo-Heave-Ho! and a fare-ye-well, And a sudden plunge in the sullen swell, Ten fathoms deep on the road to Davy Jones's locker, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Scurvy dog! Pirate life on a ship. Avast ye ayeterday!, gold dubloon my bonny booty briny deep ocean, arrgh shiver me timbers yar walk the plank, hoist the jolly rogers, Arrr

Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey, Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow, pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy, Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust, Ahoy! - Hello! Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend! Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!" All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - aye Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing Bilge-sucking - insult Blimey! - exhortation of surprise Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!" Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone Booty - booty Buccaneer - a pirate Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes Feed the fish - will soon die Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle Head - the pirate ship's toilet Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle Me - my Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts Old Salt - an experienced sailor Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom. Privateer - government-sponsored pirates Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult Scuttle - to sink a ship Seadog - old pirate or sailor Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker Shipshape - cleaned up and under control Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!" Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out. Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going Ye - ye Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention Ye've Landlubber Arrrg! Avast Ye Scurvy Parrot Sea Ahoy Ye Matey Shiver me timbers seven seas poop deck walk the plank ships parrot pegleg hook cannon Davy Jones' Locker poop deck doubloons booty loot booty buccaneer
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!

Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Lol!
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot
Drink up me hearties, yo ho
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot
treasure
buccaneer
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me
Percack-handed deck apeent?ahoy
landlubber
ye
lass
rum
booty
ahoy
davy jone's locker
scurvy
jolly roger
matey
yo ho ho
walk the plank
shiver me timbers
deck
parrot
scallywags
doubloons
swab the deck
avast
grog
arr
argh
sails
course
Shiver me timbers! Yar! Grab me booty! Walk tha' plank! Batten down tha hatches. Swab tha deck! Get Buried treasure! You are a PIRATE! Where's me parrot? Ye scallywags!Percack-handed deck apeent! All hands on ME! Arrr matey! Yo ho and Avast!Ahoy, Aye, Booty, Black Spot, Jolly Roger, Landlubber, Matey
Parley, Pirate, Shiver me timbers, Walk the plank, Parrot, Helm, Bow
pirate wench ahoy matey jolly roger davy jones booty shiver me timbers scurvy
Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! - exhortation of discontent or disgust
Ahoy! - Hello!
Ahoy, Matey - Hello, my friend!
Ahoy, ye Hearties! - the same as saying "Hello, my friends!"
All hand hoay! - comparable to all hands on deck
Avast ye - avast ye! and check this out or pay attention
Aye - yes
Batten down the hatches - put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing
Bilge-sucking - insult
Blimey! - exhortation of surprise
Blow me down! - expression of shock of disbelief akin to "Holy Crap!"
Blow the cack-handed deck ape down - command to kill someone
Booty - treasure
Buccaneer - a pirate
Bucko - a buccaneer
Cat O'Nine Tails - a whip with nine strands
Corsair - pirates in the Mediterranean Sea
Crow's nest - small platform atop the mast where the lookout stands
Cutlass - short heavy curved bladed sword used by pirates
Davy Jones' Locker - fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die
Dead men tell no tales - phrase indicating to leave no survivors
Doubloons - other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes
Feed the fish - will soon die
Hang 'im from the yardarm - punishment of those captured in battle
Head - the pirate ship's toilet
Heave Ho - give it some muscle and push it
Hempen Halter - a noose for hanging
Hornswaggle - to defraud or cheat out of money or belongings
Jacob's Ladder - the rope ladder one uses to climb aboard a sloop
Jolly Roger - pirate's flag including white skull and crossbones over a black field
Keelhaul - punishment in which a person where dragged underneath the pirate ship from side to side and was lacerated by the barnacles on the vessel
Lad, lass, lassie - a younger person
Landlubber - big, slow clumsy person who doesn't know how to sail
Letters of Marque - letters issue from governments during wartime to privateers endorsing the piracy of another vessel
Man-O-War - pirate's ship outfitted for battle
Me - my
Mizzen - third mast from the bow of the ship on ships that have three or more masts
Old Salt - an experienced sailor
Pieces of eight - coins or found in pirate stashes
Pillage - rob, sack or plunder
Poop deck - the part of the ship farthest to the back, which is usually above the captain's quarters. This is not the bathroom.
Privateer - government-sponsored pirates
Rum - pirate's traditional alcoholic beverage
Run a shot across the bow - warning shot to another vessel's captain
Savvy? - do ye understand and do ye agree?
Scallywag - mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue
Scurvy dog - the pirate is talking directly to ye with mild insult
Scuttle - to sink a ship
Seadog - old pirate or sailor
Shark bait - will soon join Davy Jones' Locker
Shipshape - cleaned up and under control
Shiver me timbers! - comparable to "Holy Crap!"
Son of a Biscuit Eater - insult directed towards someone ye don't like
Thar she blows! - Whale sighting
Three sheets to the wind - someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly three sheets to the wind and four sheets is passed out.
Walk the plank - punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones' Locker.
Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! - pull up the anchor and the sail and let's get going
Ye - you
Yo Ho Ho - cheerful exhortation to demand attention
Ye've
Landlubber
Arrrg!
Avast Ye
Scurvy
Parrot
Sea
Ahoy
Ye
Matey
Shiver me timbers
seven seas
poop deck
walk the plank
ships
parrot
pegleg
hook
cannon
Davy Jones' Locker
poop deck
doubloons
booty
loot booty buccaneer
A

Aft – The back of the ship.

Ahoy! – ‘Hello’

Arr – Yes/That’s great/I agree

Aye – ‘Yes, definitely.’

Aye Aye – ‘Of course, I’ll do that now.’

B

Barbary Coast – Mediterranean coast off of North Africa.

Be – Use instead of ‘am’, ‘are’ or ‘is’.

Bilboes – Leg irons attached to the deck of a ship.

Bilge – The dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship.

Bilge rat – A rat that lives in the dirtiest, smelliest and lowest part of a ship. This is not a nice name to call somebody.

Black Spotted – A person/animal that has had a curse put on them.

Blimey – ‘Wow.’

Booty – Riches that have usually been stolen.

Bounty – A reward, usually paid by the Government for the capture of a criminal.

Buccanneer – Pirates, usually from Hispaniola, who attacked Spanish ships in the Caribbean.

Bucko – Friend

C

Careen – To clean the hull of a ship.

Cat’o’nine tails – A whip made up of nine knotted ropes and used as punishment.

Convoy – A group of ships traveling together.

Corsair – Pirates in the Mediterranean.

Crow’s Nest – A lookout point at the top of the highest mast of a ship.

Cutlass – A curved sword, often used by sailors.

D

Davy Jones Locker – The bottom of the ocean.

Deck – The highest floor on a ship.

Deckhand – A person working on a ship, sometimes shortened to ‘hand’.

Dubloon – An old Spainish gold coin.

F

Fair Winds – ‘Good Luck.’

Flog – To whip.

Fore – Short for ‘forward’.

G

Galleon – A large, squarish ship used in war or to carry cargo.

Gangway – ‘Clear a path.’

Grog – Rum mixed with water or any kind of alcohol.

Grub – Food

H

Hands – Crewmen.

Haven – A safe place.

Heave to – To change the direction of the ship so it is facing forwards into the wind.

Hold – The space in a ship where cargo or prisoners were kept.

Hornpipe – A dance or a single reeded musical instrument.

Hornswaggle – To cheat.

Hornswaggler – A person who cheats.

Hulk – The old, dismantled body of a ship, sometimes used as prisons.

Hull – The body of a ship, not including the masts and rigging.

J

Jack Tar – Sailor

Jolly Roger – The pirate flag - a white skull and crossbones on a black background.

K

Keel – The main framework of a ship that runs from the front to the back at the bottom of the ship.

Keelhaul – To pull somebody under the keel of a ship. Done by using ropes and often as a form of punishment.

L

Lad – Young man.

Land ahoy! – ‘I see land.’

Land lubber or lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

Lass – Young woman.

Leg Irons – Wide rings of metal that were attached to each other and fastened around prisoner’s ankles.

Loot – Gold and riches usually stolen.

Lubber or land lubber – A person who likes being on land, often used as an insult.

M

Marooned – Left alone, usually on a deserted island.

Mast – The upright pole on a ship that the sails and ropes are attached to.

Mate or Matey – Friend

Me – Used instead of ‘my’.

Me beauty – How ye would address a pretty lady or something important to you.

Me hearties – Friends

Merchant Ship – A ship carrying cargo to be sold.

Mutiny – When a ship’s crew refuse to follow the captain’s orders.

N

New World - America

P

Peg leg – An artificial leg, usually wooden.

Pieces of Eight – An old Spanish silver coin.

Pirate – A ‘robber of the sea’.

Plunder – To steal.

Poop deck – The floor that is also the roof of a cabin built on the upper deck.

Poop cabin – A room built on the top deck of a ship, often the Captain’s.

Port – The left side when facing the ship’s pointy end, also a strong alcoholic drink, and the area of land next to where ships are left when the pirates go ashore.

Privateer – English, French or Dutch sailors allowed by their Government to attack enemy ships.

Prow – The pointy end of a ship.

Q

Quartermaster – The sailor second-in-charge to the Captain.

R

Rigging – The ropes, mast and sails on a ship.

S

Salt or Old Salt – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Sea dog – Somebody who has been a sailor for a long time.

Scurvy – A disease many sailors got because they didn’t eat enough vitamin C.

Scuttle – To make a hole in a ship’s hull or to sink the ship.

Shanty – A seafaring song.

Shipshape – To be neat and tidy.

Shiver me timbers – ‘What a surprise.’

Sink me – ‘What a surprise.’

Smartly – Quickly

Starboard – The right side of the ship (if ye are facing the pointed end).

Swab – To clean something or a name for somebody ye don’t like very much.

Swag – Gold and riches.

T

To be three sheets to the wind – To have three sheets to the wind too much alcohol.

Titivate – To clean up and make neat.

W

Walk the plank – To be forced to walk along and off the end of a plank that has been placed over the side of a ship.

Weevil – A kind of beetle that can eat your food before ye do.

Weigh anchor – To lift the anchor and be ready to sail.

Y

Ye – Used instead of ‘you’.

Yer – Used instead of ‘your’.

Addled
Mad, insane, or just stupid. An "addlepate" is a fool.
Aft Short for "after." Toward the rear of the ship.
Ahoy Hello!
Avast! Hey! Could also be used as "Stop that!" or "Who goes there?"
Begad! By God!
Belay Avast Ye! that. "Belay that talk!" would mean "Shut up!"
Bilge! Nonsense, or foolish talk. The bilges of a ship are the lowest parts, inside the hull along the keel. They fill with stinking bilgewater—or just "bilge."
Bilge-sucking A very uncomplimentary adjective.
Black Spot

To "place the Black Spot" on another pirate is to sentence him to death, to warn him he is marked for death, or sometimes just to accuse him of a serious crime before other pirates.
Blaggard Blackguard. An insult.
Blimey! An exclamation of surprise.
Booty Loot.
Bosun Boatswain, a petty officer.
Bucko Familiar term. "Me bucko" = "my friend."
Cap'n Short for "captain."
Cat o'nine tails A whip with many lashes, used for flogging. "A taste of the cat" might refer to a full flogging, or just a single blow to "smarten up" a recalcitrant hand.
Chantey A sailor's work song. Also spelled "shantey" or "shanty."
Corsair A more romantic term for pirate. But still a pirate.
Davy Jones' locker The bottom of the sea.
Deadlights Eyes. "Use yer deadlights, matey!"
Dead men tell no tales Standard pirate excuse for leaving no survivors.
Dog A mild insult, perhaps even a friendly one.
Doubloon A Spanish gold coin. At different times, it was worth either 4 or 16 silver pesos, or "pieces of eight."
Fair winds!

Goodbye, good luck!
Feed the fish What ye do when ye are thrown into the sea, dead or alive.
Gangway! "Get out of my way!"
Godspeed! Goodbye, good luck!
Grub Food.
Fore, or forrard Toward the front end of the ship.
Flogging Punishment by caning, or by whipping with the cat.
Hands The crew of a ship; sailors.
Handsomely Quickly. "Handsomely now, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Jack Ketch The hangman. To dance with Jack Ketch is to hang.
Jollyboat

A small but happy craft, perhaps even one which is a little dinghy.
Jolly Roger The pirates' skull-and-crossbones flag. It was an invitation to surrender, with the implication that those who surrendered would be treated well. A red flag indicated "no quarter."
Keelhaul Punishment by dragging under the ship, from one side to the other. The victim of a keelhauling would be half-drowned, or worse, and lacerated by the barnacles that grew beneath the ship.
Kiss the gunner's daughter A punishment: to be bent over one of the ship's guns and flogged.
Lad, lass, lassie A way to address someone younger than you.
Landlubber or just lubber A non-sailor.
Lights Lungs. A pirate might threaten to "have someone's lights and liver."
Line A rope in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line. When a rope is just coiled up on deck, not yet being used for anything, it's all right to call it a rope.
Lookout Someone posted to keep watch on the horizon for other ships or signs of land.
Maroon A common punishment for violation of a pirate ship's articles, or offending her crew. The victim was left on a deserted coast (or, island) with few supplies. That way, no one could say that the unlucky pirate had actually been killed by his former brethren.
Me A piratical way to say "my."
Me hearties Typical way for a pirate leader to address his crew.
Matey A piratical way to address someone in a cheerful, if not necessarily friendly, fashion.
No quarter! Surrender will not be accepted.
Piece of eight

A Spanish silver coin worth one peso or 8 reales. It was sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.
Pillage To raid, rob, and sack a target ashore.
Pirate A seagoing robber and murderer. Contrast with privateer.
Poop deck The highest deck at the aft end of a large ship. Smaller ships don't have a poop; the highest part aft is the quarterdeck.
Poxy, poxed Diseased. Used as an insult.
Rope's end Another term for flogging. "Ye'll meet the rope's end for that, me bucko!"
Rum (noun) Traditional pirate drink.
Rum (adjective) Strange or odd. A "rum fellow" is a peculiar person, the sort who won't say "Arrrr!" on Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Sail ho! "I see a ship!" The sail, of course, is the first part of a ship visible over the horizon.
Salt, old salt An experienced seaman.
Scurvy (1) A deficiency disease caused by lack of vitamin C, often afflicting sailors;
(2) A derogatory adjective for an epithet, as in "Ye scurvy dogs!"
Sea dog An experienced seaman.
Shanty Another spelling for "chantey" - a sea song.
Shark bait

(1) Your foes, who are about to feed the fish (q.v.).
(2) A worthless or lazy sailor; a lubber who is no use aboard ship.
Shiver me timbers! An expression of surprise or strong emotion.
Sink me! An expression of surprise.
Smartly

Quickly. "Smartly there, men!" = "Hurry up!"
Splice the mainbrace To have a drink. Or, perhaps, several drinks.
Spyglass A telescope.
Starboard The right side of the ship when ye are facing toward her prow.
Sutler A merchant in port, selling what a ship needed for supplies and repairs.
Swab (noun) A disrespectful term for a seaman. "Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!"
Swab (verb) To clean something. "Swabbing the decks" would be a mild penalty for a disobedient pirate.
Swag Loot.
Wench An individual of the female persuasion. "Saucy" is a good adjective to add to this, and if ye can get away with "Me proud beauty,” more power to ye!
Yo-ho-ho

Thar be a bunch o’ words an’ sayin’s used by salty old sea dogs that don’t make much sense to a landsman, so here’s a few of ‘em to help yer get yer sea legs.
ABBEY LUBBER : A loiterer that could work but will not.

ABEAM : The direction at right angles to the hull. To either side of the ship

ABLE SEAMAN : A skilled sailor

ABRAHAM MEN : Vagabonds that beg by pretendin’ to ‘ave been discharged with no money from ships.

ADDLE : Putrid water in the water barrels.

ADRIFT : Floating about out of control.

ADVENTURE : An enterprise in which something is risked or left to chance.

AFEARD : A common way of saying afraid.

AFT. or Abaft : The direction towards the stern of the ship. That’s the “back” for land-lubbers.

AHOY : A shout used to get someone’s attention.

ALOFT : The top part of the masts and rigging.

AMBUSH : Hiding so as to attack without warnin’.

ARRR : A multipurpose mostly positive exclamation not to be confused with ARRRGH which is usually negative.

ARTHUR : A well known sea game.

ARTICLES : A set of rules which govern pirate’s behaviour on a vessel.

A SHORT DROP AND A QUICK STOP : A reference to hanging.

AURORA : The faint light seen before sunrise.

AVAST : Stop, hold, cease or desist. AVAST YE SCURVY DOGS : Avast Ye! that now or there’ll be trouble.

AYE : A way of sayin’ yes. AYE AYE : A way of sayin’ aye to someone that’s a bit deaf.
BACK-O’-BEYOND : A long way from anywhere. Usually where ye don’t want t’ be

BACK-STAFF : A tool the navigator uses to work out how high the sun is in the sky. Helps ‘im work out where we are, while everybody else is scratching their heads.

BALLAST : Heavy stuff in the hold of the ship to keep her steady.

BARKING IRONS : Large duelling pistols.

BARNACLE : A type of shell fish that sticks to the bottom of the ship's hull. If too many get attached they’ll slow the ship down so they need to be scraped off regularly.

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Means cover the hatches to the lower decks with canvas during a storm to avast ye! water from getting belowdecks.

BEATING : Sailin’ towards the wind in a zig zag line.

BEATING THE BOOBY : Slapping of hands around your arms to warm your self up on a cold watch.

BECALMED : Not able to sail because thar is no wind.

BEFORE THE MAST : The station of a sailor that is not an officer.

BELAY : To secure, tie up or make fast, often another way of sayin’ stop.

BELAYING PIN : A wooden rod sitting in a hole on the rail that a rope can be tied to temporarily. A useful improvised weapon aboard a sailing ship because they’re everywhere and just right for a club.

BELL : Every half hour of a four hour watch the ship’s bell is rung to show how many half hours have passed. If an hour has past it would be rung twice and we would say the time was “two bells” of that watch.

BILBOES : A method of securing captives by means of a metal bar to which shackles be fixed. This is what we means when we say “Clap him in irons.”

BILGE : The lowest part of the ship. Wet, musty and full of rats.

BLACK JACK : Another name for a pirate flag.

BLACK SPOT : A black mark on a piece of paper that means “We’re going to get ya” or somethin’ like that.

BLEEDING THE MONKEY : Stealin’ the grog.

BLETHERING : Talking nonsense.

BLOODY FLAG : A red flag we use to say ”We’re goin’ to kill the lot of yer.”

BLOW THE GAFF : Givin’ away a secret or informin’.

BLUNDERBUSS : A short fire arm with a wide mouth that scatters musket balls over a wide area.

BOSUN (also Boatswain) : An officer on the ship who is in charge of the ship’s rigging, anchors, cables, and deck crew.

BOOM : A long spar extending from the mast to extend the foot of a sail. Also the sound a cannon makes when fired at the enemy.

BOOTY : That be booty to ye or me.

BOREAS : A name for the North wind.

BOW : The front of the ship or boat.

BOW CHASERS : A pair of guns mounted in the bow to fire directly ahead.

BOWSPRIT : The slanted spar that sticks out over the bow of the ship and is used to support the fore-mast and spread the fore stay sail.

BRIGANTINE or Brig : A two-masted ship, square-rigged on both masts.

BROAD ARROW : The British royal mark for government stores.

BROADSIDE : Side by side with another ship, a good place to be if ye have more guns than them, a very bad place to be if they have more than you. A “Broadside" has come to mean firing all the cannon on one side of one ship into the side of another.

BUCCANEER : A pirate, especially one that preyed on Spanish shipping in the West Indies during the 17th century.

BULLYRAG : Insulting in a noisy threatening way.

BURGOO : A dish made of boiled oat-meal seasoned with salt, butter and sugar.

BUTTER FINGERED : Careless, clumsy and likely to drop things.

BY THE WIND : Sailin’ in the same direction as the wind’s blowin’.
CABIN : What land-lubber would call a “room” on a ship.

CABLE : A heavy rope or chain often used for mooring or anchoring a ship.

CABLE’S LENGTH : A measure of about 100 fathoms and used to estimate the distances of ships in a fleet.

CACKLE FRUIT : Hen’s eggs

CAESAR’S PENNY : The tip given by a recruiting sergeant. Taking this money meant ye had received your first payment and therefor were recruited into service and could not refuse.

CALALOO : A dish of fish and vegetables.

CANISTER SHOT or Case shot : A package of small iron balls loaded into a gun to be used against sailors without causing too much damage to the ship.

CANVAS : A cloth made from hemp and used for the sails. A ship in motion by her sails is said to be “Under canvas.”

CAPTAIN or Cap’n : The master of the ship. A pirate captain was voted into command by the crew and had absolute authority in battle and ruled by consent at other times, assisted by the Quartermaster.

CAPSTAN : A winch used for hauling heavy weights like the anchor. A vertical cylinder with handles that is rotated manually by several of the crew and around which a cable is wound.

CARDINAL POINTS : The general name for the north, east, south and west points on the horizon.

CAREENING : Taking the ship into shallow waters or out of the water altogether to scrape off barnacles, weed and all the other pesky stuff that likes to grow on the bottom of the hull. It’s a tough job but it has to be done if we want to keep the ship moving fast in the water.

CARPENTER : A skilled crew member in charge of repairing all wooden parts of a ship. As most of the ship is made of wood that makes him a very important person to have of board a pirate ship.

CASK : A barrel for liquid or solid provisions.

CAST-AWAY : Shipwrecked.

CAT O'NINE TAILS or Cat : A whip with nine lashes used for flogging, a punishment much used by the British Navy. Sometime made by untwisting a three strand rope and re-laying it into the nine strands.

CAULKING : Oakum or old rope jammed into cracks in the ships hull and treated with pitch to waterproof it.

CHAIN SHOT : Two cannonballs chained together and aimed high to cut the masts and rigging of a ship.

CHART or Sea chart : What some lubbers would call a map and not likely to be marked with an X that’s for sure.

CHASE GUN : A cannon mounted at the bow of the ship, used when chasing another ship.

CHIVEY : A knife.

CHOWDER : A stew of codfish, salt pork, biscuit and lots of pepper.

CHOWDER-HEADED or Chuckle-headed : Stupid or foolish.

CHRISTIAN : A Danish gold coin.

CLOSE-HAULED or Close to the wind : A ship sailing as much towards the wind as she can.

COCKED HAT : A three cornered hat with it’s brim turned up at the sides. Also called a Tricorne.

CODGER : An easy going but steady man, one that will not move faster than he pleases.

COD-LINE : A light line.

COLOURS : The flags or banners that mark ships of different nations. Pirates often flew false colours to get close to their targets before raising the black jack.

COMBING THE CAT : The Bosun running his fingers through the cat o'nine tails to separate them.

COMPASS : An instrument with a magnetic needle that points towards the North. It is marked with the cardinal points, north, east, south and west and then further divided into thirty two points in all. Modern compasses are divided into 360 points or degrees.

CONTRABAND : Cargo forbidden by law to be supplied to an enemy. A profitable trade for pirates.

COOPER : A skilled crew member in charge of making, repairing and taking apart barrels for storage.

CORDAGE : A general term for the running rigging of a ship and any rope kept in reserve.

CORSAIR : A pirate operating around the Mediterranean Sea.

COT : A wooden framed bed suspended from the beams of the ship for the officers. Slightly more comfortable than the hammocks used by the crew.

COXSWAIN or Coxson: The person who steers a ship's ship and is in charge of its crew.

CROW'S NEST : A small platform, near the top of a mast. A good place to watch out for other ships or land.

CUTLASS : A short sword used for fighting on board ships.
DANCE THE HEMPEN JIG : To be hanged. The fate waitin’ for many a pirate.

DAVY JONES : The dark spirit of the sea. DAVY JONES’S LOCKER : The bottom of the sea where nothing is lost because ye know where it is. Where everything thrown overboard ends up, including the bodies of sailors buried at sea.

DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES : A good reason for leavin’ no survivors.

DEAD RECKONING : Estimating a ship’s position by working out speed and direction of travel. Not as accurate as using astronomical methods.

DITTY BAG : A small duffle bag used by a crewman to store their personal equipment and belongings.

DITTY BOX : A small box or chest for holding a seaman’s valuables.

DOG’S BODY : Dried peas boiled in a cloth.

DOUBLE DUTCH : Gibberish or any unintelligible language.

DOUBLOON : A golden Spanish coin. Worth about seven week's pay to an average sailor.

DRAFT : The depth of a ship’s keel below the water line. The depth of water needed to float a vessel.

DUDS : Clothing, and not very good clothing at that.
EAGLE or Spread Eagle : A punishment where the offender is tied hand and foot to the rigging and left thar for a while.

St. ELMO’S FIRE : Electric light seen flickering about the masts, yard arms and rigging during a storm.

EYE OF THE WIND : Where the wind is blowing from.
FATHOM : The full reach of a cack-handed deck ape with arms extended. A measure of six feet used to mark the depth of water using a lead or sounding line.

FILIBUSTER : A Spanish word for pirate. Trust them to have a fancy word for it.

FORE : The direction towards the stem of the ship. For land-lubbers, that’s the “front”.

FORECASTLE : The part of the upper deck forward of the foremast. Often this was was a built up section where some of the crew is housed.

FOREMAST : The foremost mast of the ship.

FURL : To roll up and secure. Usually referring to the sails.

FUTTOCK : A curved timber that forms a rib in the frame of a ship. One o’ the bits yer trip over.
GALLEON : A large Spanish merchant ship. Often full o’ booty, sometimes loaded with cannons. A bit old fashioned by the 18th Century.

GANGPLANK : A removable board or ramp used to board a ship from a pier.

GANGWAY : A passage along either side of a ship's upper deck that should be kept clear to move on at all times. Shouting “Gangway” is a good way to tell people they are in your way.

GIBBET : Chains or cages in which the rotting corpses of hung pirates are displayed in order to discourage piracy.

GO ON ACCOUNT : A gentlemanly way of sayin’ “I’ve become a pirate.”

GRAPE or Grapeshot : Small balls of lead or iron fired in quantity from a cannon. Makes a mess of soft targets like sails or people without damaging the ship too much.

GRENADE : An iron pot with a fuze, filled with gunpowder. Thrown onto the enemies decks before boarding.

GROG : Rum, sometimes mixed with water. Feelin’ “Groggy” is what ‘appens when yer drinks too much of it.

GUN : A cannon, not to be confused with a pistol or a musket.

GUNWALE or Gunnel : Originally the upper plank on the hull, binding the frame together. A term often used for the side of the ship, as in “Throw that bilge rat over the gunwale.”
HAIL : To call another vessel, usually to ask where she comes from and where she’s going. A traditional pirate hail is “Hove-to or we’ll blow ye out of the water.”

HALYARD : A line used to hoist a sail, spar, or flag

HANDS : The crew of the ship.

HARDTACK or Sea biscuit : A hard biscuit made from flour and water baked solid so it can be stored for a long time. Often full o’ weevils an’ maggots. Better than eating bilge rats, but not by much.

HEAVE-TO or Hove-to : Slowing the ship down and fixing its course. Often called out as an order from one ship to another, demanding the other ship strike sails and avast ye! moving in order to be boarded.

HEMPEN HARNESS : The hangman’s noose.

HOGSHEAD : A large barrel holding about a hundred gallons used for the shipment of wines and spirits.

HOLYSTONE or Bible : A stone used for scouring the wooden decks of a ship. About the size of an old Bible and used by sailors on their knees, hence the name.

HOLD : The interior of the hull below the decks.

HOVE-TO : Avast Ye! a ship from moving in the water.

HULL : The body of the ship, the bit that floats on the water below the masts, rigging and sails.
IMPRESS : To force into service. If thar weren’t enough willing to join a crew, others were recruited by force. A method often used by the British Navy.

IRONS or Bilboes : Long bars on which shackles are fixed with a lock at the end. Used for holding the legs of prisoners for as long as ye need to.
JACK : The British Union flag but also Jack or Jack Tar are familiar terms for an ordinary sailor.

JIB : A triangular sail in the forward part of the ship's rig and in small craft like sloops it is attached to the bowsprit or the bow.

JOLLY ROGER : A pirate flag often black an’ showing the skull-and-crossbones. Hoisted aloft it says “You’d better surrender because we’ll be annoyed if ye don’t.” A red flag says "We’re annoyed now an’ we’re going to make ye walk the plank all."

JURY-RIGGED : A ship fitted with temporary rigging, masts or sails when accident or attack has damaged the proper rig.
KEEL : The lowest timber of the ship's frame, running from Stem to Stern.

KEEL-HAULING : A horrific punishment where the victim is dragged under the ship with ropes attached to the other side of the hull. Not only was thar a good chance of drowning but the barnacles and other encrustations on the hull would cause terrible abrasions as the victim was hauled under.

KNOT : A measure of the ship’s speed made by counting the knots on a log-line paid out to a float for thirty seconds. A ship travelling at 8 knots is moving 8 nautical miles an hour.
LADDER : What an land-lubber would call “stairs” between decks on a ship.

LANDSMAN : A new recruit that has never been to sea before.

LANYARD : A short rope or cord used for hanging or securing something.

LEAGUE : A distance of three nautical miles.

LETTER OF MARQUE : A document given to a captain allowing him to attack enemy ships under the authority of the crown, in return for a cut of the loot. It makes a pirate sort of legal if you’re on the right side.

LINE : What a Land Lubber would call “a rope” in use as part of the ship's rigging, or as a towing line.

LOADED TO THE GUNNELLS : Drunk as can be. Not fit to sail a ship that’s for sure.

LOG : A record of the ship's course, progress, and any events of navigational importance.

LOG-LINE : A knotted length of line with a piece of wood at the end which is thrown into the water to determine how many "knots" run out in thirty seconds. See Knot.

LONG BOAT : A large ship carried by a ship which is used to move loads such as anchors, chains, ropes, or loot.

LONG CLOTHES : The type of clothing worn on land.

LOOKOUT : A crew member posted to keep watch, often from the crow’s nest, for other ships or signs of land.

LOOT : Stolen stuff.

LUBBER : An awkward, clumsy, unseamanlike fellow. LAND-LUBBER : The worst kind of Lubber, one that’s never even been to sea before.
MAIN-MAST : The largest and most central mast of the ship.

MAN-OF-WAR : A warship designed and equipped for battle

MARLINSPIKE : An iron pointed tool used to separate the strands of a rope for splicing

MAROONING : Abandoning a person on a deserted coast or island with very few supplies. Usually resulting in a slow death by starvation or thirst. If ye were rescued you’d probably be hung because people presumed ye were a pirate.

MAKE FAST : Tying or securing ropes. Fast is usually used in the sense of “fasten” on ship.

MIZEN-MAST: The aftermost mast of the ship. The one at the “back” for the land-lubbers

MUTINY : Revolt or determined disobedience on a ship. Punishable by death in the British Navy.
NAVIGATOR : A crew member skilled in the art of navigation. Combining seamanship and knowledge of nautical astronomy. A skilled navigator could guide a ship from port to port often with no sight of land for months on end.

NEWGATE BIRDS : Men sent to serve on British Navy ships in place of serving a sentence in prison.

NO PREY, NO PAY : This means ye won’t get paid unless we capture some ships.
OAKUM : The remains of old ropes that have become untwisted or picked to pieces, sometimes called “tow”. This material was often used to stuff into cracks in the ship’s hull with tar to seal it from water.

ORLOP: The lowest deck, immediately above the hold.
PAINTER : A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her fast.

PIECES OF EIGHT : Spanish silver coins worth eight "reales.," could be cut into eight pieces, each worth one reale.

PINNACE : A light ship propelled by sails or oars, used for travelling between ship and shore.

PIRACY or Pyracy : Robbery at sea.

PIRATE or Pyrate : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea without letters of marque.

PIRATE ROUND : A route from North America to the Indian Ocean taking advantage of seasonal winds and trade.

PISTOL PROOF : Very lucky, the sort of fellow that always seems to make the right choices.

PLUNDER : To rob, steal and generally make of with everybody’s loot.

POOP DECK : The uppermost deck at the stern of a ship, usually above the captain’s quarters.

PORT : A seaport or the left side of the ship which is normally the side ye bring in to port.

POWDER MONKEY : A crew member whose job during battle was to run back and forth from the ship's powder hold carrying black powder for the guns.

PRESSGANG : A company of men sent a’shore to force men into service on a ship, usually a Navy one but sometimes a pirate ship.

PRIVATEER : Someone who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea with letters of marque from a government.

PRIZE : A captured ship and its cargo.

PROW : For the lubbers that’s the pointy bit at the front of the ship.

PURSER : An officer on a ship responsible for provisions and clothing. Such provisions were often sold to sailors on credit against their next payment which meant the sailors never actually managed to keep any of their money when they were finally paid.
QUADRANT : A navigation tool used to measure the altitude of the sun. Largely replaced by the back-staff.

QUARTER : If we offer ye quarter it means we’ll treat ye well if ye surrender. If we say “No Quarter” it means we’ll kill the lot of yer.

QUARTER-DECK : The uppermost deck abaft the main mast. The “sticky up bit at the back” for the land-lubbers.

QUARTER-MASTER : On pirate ships the quartermaster was responsible for stores, provisions and booty. In most cases he was second in charge to the captain.
RAMSHACKLE : Out of repair, disorderly.

RATLINE : Horizontal lines run along the shrouds to form a ladder for the crew to use in getting up into the rigging.

REEF - An underwater obstacle of rock or coral that will tear a great hole in the bottom of the ship if ye hit it. Also “to reef the sails” means tying them up a bit to reduce to area of sail in a strong wind.

RIGGING : Any or all of the ropes or chains used to support the masts and arrange the sails. Those that are “standing” are fixed, while those that are “running” are used to adjust the yards and sails.

RIG OF A SHIP : The set of masts, ropes and sails that makes up the true character of a ship.

ROPE : Is made of hemp or other stuff, spun into yarns and strands and twisted together into cordage. When it is put to use in the rigging it is then called a line, not a rope. If a rope is just coiled up on deck, not being used for anything, then ye can call it a rope, not a line.

RUTTER : A book of charts, a journal, log book or set of sailing instructions used by a navigator.
SALMAGUNGI : A savoury dish made of cured fish and onions.

SCUPPERS : Vents on a ship's deck that allow water to drain back to the sea rather than collecting in the bilge. "Scupper that!" means get rid of something by chucking it overboard.

SCURVY : A common disease among sailors caused by vitamin C deficiency causing spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin and extreme weakness. This lead to the British Navy giving their crews lime juice and being called “limeys” by the American sailors.

SCUTTLE : To deliberately sink a ship by making a hole in the hull.

SEA LEGS : A cack-handed deck ape is said to have his sea legs when he can stand steady on the deck of a ship pitching and rolling on the waves. Sometimes a sailor, used to this motion, takes a while to get his land legs back when he goes a’shore which makes him swagger a bit as he walks.

SHEET : A line running from the bottom corner of a sail so ye can adjust it for the wind

SHROUDS : Part of the standing rigging used to support the masts.

SLOOP : A single-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged ship much favoured by pirates because of its speed, shallow draught and fast turning ability.

SLOW MATCH : A cord of braided hemp, often infused with saltpetre, that burned slowly like a candle wick and was applied to powder in the touch hole of a cannon in order to fire it.

SOUNDING LINE or lead : An instrument for measuring the depth of the water, a line with a lead weight on the end and marked in fathoms.

SPANKER : A fore-and-aft sail attached to a boom and gaff. The aftermost sail of a ship sometimes called the driver.

SQUARE-RIGGED : Fitted mostly with square sails.

STARBOARD : The right side of the ship when ye are facing forward. Opposite side to port.

STARTING ROPE : A short length of heavy rope with a knot in the end that the Bosun uses to beat crew members to make them work harder.

STEM : The foremost timber of the frame.

STERN : The aftermost part of the ship. That’s the back for the lubbers.

STERN CHASER
STINK POT
STRIKE COLORS
SWAB
SWIVEL GUN
TAR
TARPAULIN
TELL-TALE
THREE SHEETS IN THE WIND
TOGS
TOP SAILS
UPPER DECK
VENT
VOLLEY
WALKING THE PLANK
WATCH FIRST WATCH MIDDLE WATCH MORNING WATCH FORENOON WATCH AFTERNOON WATCH DOG WATCHES

WATCH GLASS
WEIGH ANCHOR
X MARKS THE SPOT
YARD
YELLOW JACK
pirate

Lonely Lunatic

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Salty, Scurvy, Lily-livered, Swashbuckling, Pirate, Deckhand, Wench, Bilge rat

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