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and Stories

Pirate
Talk - M to Z
Pirates
and sailors had many words that they used that we do not often hear today, Here
are a few more of their words and sayings:
main sheet - The rope that controls the angle at which a mainsail set.
man-of-war - A vessel designed for battle.
maroon - To abandon in a deserted place.
matey - A way to
address a team mate (or fellow pirate).
me - My.
mutiny - To rise against the captain of a ship.
Nelson's folly - Rum.
parley - A discussion between opposing sides during a dispute.
Pieces of Eight - Spanish silver coins.
pillage - To steal by force.
piracy - Robbery committed at sea.
pirate - One who robs at sea or plunders the land from the sea.
plunder - To rob.
poop deck - The highest deck at the stern of a large ship.
port - A place to
dock a ship. Or the left side of the ship when facing
forward.
quarter – mercy offered by pirates.
quarterdeck - The after part of the upper deck of a ship.
red ensign - A British flag.
reef - An underwater obstruction.
reef sails - To take in or reduce sails, typically in bad weather.
rigging - The ropes used to support the masts.
rum - An intoxicating drink made from sugar cane.
run a shot across the bow - To fire a warning shot.
scallywag - A mischievous person.
schooner - A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel having at least two masts.
scuppers – Drains on the deck that allow water on deck to drain back to the
sea.
scurvy - A disease
scuttle - Sink due to a hole in a ships hull.
sea legs - The ability to adjust one's balance to the motion of a ship.
sheet - A rope.
shiver me timbers! -
Wow, or how about that! - a saying of surprise.
shrouds - Ropes or wire cables that support the mast.
sink me! -
That's amazing!
six pounders – Cannons that shoot six pound cannon balls.
sloop - A
single-masted sailing boat.
smartly - Quickly.
Spanish Main - Lands taken by Spain from Mexico to Peru including the
Caribbean islands.
spike - To render a gun useless.
splice the main brace - To have a drink or perhaps several drinks.
spyglass - A telescope.
square-rigged - Fitted with square sails as the principal sails.
starboard - The right side of the ship when you are facing forward.
stern - The rear part of a ship.
strike colors - To lower a ships flag as a signal of surrender.
swab - To clean.
tack – To sail close to the wind, usually in a zig-zag fashion.
tackle - A system of ropes and blocks for raising and lowering stuff.
transom – The wooden beams forming the stern of a ship.
walk the plank – Force off the ship into the water (usually to drown).
warp - To move by hauling on a line.
weigh anchor - To bring up the anchor.
yard - A long tapering spar to support a sail.
ye - You.
Yellow Jack - A yellow flag flown to indicate sickness on board a ship.
yo-ho-ho - Well
look at that! - an exclamation associated with pirates.
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