Vocabulary

To imagine the life of a sailor on a ship or a pirate at sea we must understand that these terms would replace the words of home such as: kitchen, family room, bedroom, living room, bathroom, store, groceries, etc. Your way of thinking and speaking about everyday life would include these terms and their meanings. A Glossary of British Navy Vocabulary Terms of the 17th and 18th Centuries Acts of Pardon/Acts of Grace: A letter of marquee for a reformed pirate, thus making him a privateer Avast: Means 'stop' in piratical lingo Before the mast: Literally, the position of the crew whose living quarters on board were in the forecastle (the section of a ship forward of the foremast). The term is also used more generally to describe sailors as compared with officers, in phrases such as he sailed before the mast. Bilged on her anchor: A ship pierced by her own anchor Boom: A spar used to extend the foot of a sail Bow: The front of the ship Bowline: Rope made fast to the leech or side of a sail to pull it forward Bowse: To haul with a tackle to produce extra rightness Bowsprit: A pole projecting forward from the bow (front) of a ship Brail: To furl a sail by pulling it in towards the mast

Bring to: Check (stop) the movement of a ship by arranging the sails in such a way that they counteract each other and keep her stationary
Buffer: Chief bosun's mate who is in charge of discipline Cable: A large rope Capstan: Vertical rotating cylinder used for winding up anchor and other cable Careen: To cause a vessel to keel over on its side. Mainly to clean or repair its bottom Chain shot: Cannon balls fastened together with chain, used to aim high into the rigging and to try and bring the masts down and thus disable the ship. Chase guns: Cannon on the bow of a ship, forward facing Clean Bill of Health: This widely used term has its origins in the document issued to a ship showing that the port it sailed from suffered from no epidemic or infection at the time of departure. Coaming: The raised edge around a hatch Dogwatch: A dogwatch at sea is the period between 4 and 6 p.m. the first dogwatch, or the period between 6 and 8 p.m., the second dog watch.

The Ghosts of Treasure Island

Oregon Childrens Theatre

Draft: The minimum water depth necessary to float a ship Driver: Large sail suspended from the mizzen gaff Fathom: A nautical unit of length equal to six feet Fireship: A ship loaded with gunpowder and explosives, set on fire and sent to drift into enemy ports. Fluke: Broad part of an anchor Furl: To wrap or roll a sail close to the yard, stay or mast to which it belongs Gaff: Spar which holds upper the edge of a four-sided fore and aft sail Halliards: Rope or tackle for hoisting a spar holding a sail Haul wind: To direct a ship's course as nearly as possible in the direction from which the wind is coming Heave to: An order to stop Heave down: To turn a vessel on its side for cleaning Holystone: A piece of sandstone used to scrub the decks. Sailors had to kneel as if in prayer when scrubbing the decks. Job: Triangular sail Killick: The anchor Lanyard: Any rope that ties something off League: Three miles Lee: Side away from the wind Let go and haul: Order on tacking square-rigged ship given when the bow has just passed across the wind List: The ship leans to one side Mainmast: The ship's principal mast Midshipman: Non-commissioned rank below lieutenant. Mizzen(mast): Aftermost mast in a three-masted vessel Nipper: Short length of rope used to bind anchor cable Press Gang: A group of sailors who "recruit" for their ship using violence and intimidation. It was a particular threat for Civilian men in port towns in times of war. Privateer: A pirate officially sanctioned by a national power Quarter: 1) part of the side of the ship nearest the stern 2) mercy shown to an opponent

The Ghosts of Treasure Island

Oregon Childrens Theatre

No Quarter Given: Usually accompanied with the hoisting of the red flag. It means that no mercy would be shown and all souls on board killed. Reef: To shorten sail by rolling up the bottom section and securing it by tying short lines attached to the sail Rigging: The general name for ropes, chains, and wires which hold masts, spars and yards in place and control movement of the ship Scuppers: Holes pierced in deck near bulwarks to allow surplus water to drain off Sheet: Line running from the bottom aft corner of sail by which it can be adjusted to the wind Shrouds: Standing rigging stretched from the side of a ship to support the mast Skysail: Sail above the royal Squadron: A group of ten or less warships Square-rigged: Rig consisting of four-cornered sails hung from yards Stargazer: A sail set above moonsail Stay: Standing rigging fore and aft and supporting a mast Stern: The back of the ship Strike the Colors: To haul down a ship's flag as a signal of surrender. Tack: Lower, forward corner of fore and aft sail; in square-rigged ships, line controlling forward lower corner of sail; ship's coarse in relation to the wind Tackle: Ropes and blocks Top: Platform at masthead of ship for sailors to stand upon Topgallant: Sail above topsail Topmast: Mast next above lower mast Topsail: Sail above mainsail Weather: Side from which the wind is blowing Weigh: To raise, as in 'weigh anchor' Yard: Spar attached to mast to carry a sail

The Ghosts of Treasure Island

Oregon Childrens Theatre