We can keep this thread going! here are a few:
Once the cat's out of the bag, people get interested. If the crew crowds in too closely, there's not enough room to swing a cat .
taken aback - unexpectedly finding the wind pushing your sails back against the masts – ok if done intentionally and momentarily to help stop the ship, but not good if it resulted in unexpected sternway!
toe the line - lining up for inspection by putting your toes along a common deck plank seam
touch and go - when your keel momentarily touches bottom and then you break free
between the devil and the deep blue sea - the outermost seam in the deck-planking, next to the scuppers, was the devil seam – if you slip on the deck, you might end up in a rough place – between the devil and the deep blue; also, to “pay” the seam with caulking or pitch [the devil to pay], a sailor was often suspended in a bosun's chair over the side of the ship, again, an unpleasant position
bitter end – most of us know this one – the end of the anchor cable is attached to the bitts; if it’s all paid out, you’re at the bitter end of the cable
groggy – most of us have been this one - what you are if you drink too much grog
know the ropes – I’m still trying to figure out all the rigging!
fly by night – a large sail that required little attention and therefore was used when sailing at night
cup of joe – coffee was the strongest drink permitted on U.S. Navy vessels after Josephus Daniels, Woodrow Wilson’s Sec. of the Navy, abolished the officers’ wine mess
posh - acronym for "port out", "starboard home" - this denoted the cool side of the ship and the most desirable place for cabins on the colonial run from England to India and back
bear down - to sail down on another vessel quickly; if you are approaching from upwind and have the weather gauge, you may eventually
take the wind out of his sails by blocking him from the wind - all of this could also be called being overbearing
listless – a sailing ship with no wind does not list – it also doesn’t go very fast
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