Did you Know: Words and Origins

Many words and phrases in everyday use have their roots in our maritime history. What started as a casual investigation turned into a major project and a small book. Here are just a few of the origins I discovered.

A1

This is a common term for first-class, or excellent. In Lloyd's Register, A1 is the mark of a wooden ship of the first class, "A" referring to the quality of her hull and "1" to the quality of her equipment.

Above Board

Anything kept above board was on the upper deck and therefore available for all to see. The term “above board” therefore means nothing hidden, untoward or suspicious.

Aloof

"Aloof" first appeared in English in the 16th century, and although we now use the term to mean emotionally distant, detached or superior, it was originally a sailing term. When the captain of a sailing ship ordered the helmsman to "steer aloof" (from the French lof meaning “to windward”), he meant to steer the ship closer into the wind. If a captain wanted to maintain a clear distance from another ship, he would stay upwind as the other vessel could not sail into the wind towards him. This was called "standing aloof", so sailors would have brought this term to land meaning "at a distance".

Bale Out

The verb to bale out, meaning to remove water, comes from the old word "boyle" for a bucket.

Blazer

Formal uniforms for sailors were not adopted until late in the 19th century. Captains were allowed to dress their own crew and many did so to impress other ships officers at formal occasions. Records state that the boat's crew of HMS Harlequins were dressed as harlequins; HMS Caledonia's crew wore tartan and HMS Tulip's boatmen had a green suit with a bower in their caps. But the most impressive of all were the snappy blue jackets provided by Captain J. W. Washington of HMS Blazer. The crew became known as "the blazers" and that is how the jacket got its name.

The Bitter End

A ships anchor rope or cable was fastened at one end to the anchor and the other end made fast to a very strong “bitt” or bollard by the mast. Usually only part of the anchor rope needed to be let out to secure the ship, but in deeper water more rope was paid out, sometime right to the “bitter” end.

Buff

A type of leather made from buffalo hide, hence the name, dressed with oil and having a characteristic fuzzy surface with a dull whitish-yellow colour giving rise to the colour buff.

By and Large

A nautical expression, now in common use, meaning “generally” or "broadly speaking". In sailing terms it means to sail a boat by the wind (i.e. towards the wind), but large (i.e., not very close to the wind).

Clinch

Clinch or clench means to secure something, such as clinching a deal. The maritime origin of the word was in the way in which nails were used, such as to secured planks to the ribs of a boat. Nails, usually of copper which would not rust, were driven through the plank and rib, and out the other side. A copper washer was placed over the point and the end hammered over to prevent the nail working out as the boat flexed in the sea. “Clenching” was a very secure form of fasting.