Terminology
For those that wish to give their character a more authentic voice of the times, numerous terms have been researched and listed below alphabetically; more will be added as they are found. These words were used by English-speakers of the times - older French and Spanish words are a bit harder to research.
TermAct of Grace (Act of Pardon)
Ahoy Amorous congress Apartment Avast! Aye Backward Baggage Belay! Berth Bilge rat Black spot Bloody Blimey! Booty Broadside Brush Bumboo Captain's daughter Dance the hempen jig Dead men tell no tales Fender Flip From the sea Gibbet Green gown Grog Gross Hanging in irons Heave to Hempen halter Hornswaggle Idiot Inch of candle Jade Jilt Jolly Roger Keep a weather eye open Landlubber League Lee Lee shore Lee tide Leeward Letter of Marque License Luff Macaroni Make love Manifest Marooned Me hearties Mrs. Mum No prey, no pay No quarter given On a lee shore Place Port (wine) Punch house Punk Purchase (to make purchase) Quarter Quarters Ready about Rope's end Run a rig Salamanguni Scallywag Scavey Scudd Scuppers Scurvy Scuttle Sea dog Sex Slash Snacks Splice the mainbrace Sprogs Squall Squiffy Station Sulter Swabber (Swabbie) Swashbuckler Tack about Three Sheets in(to) the Wind Titivate Waggoner Weigh anchor Windward Windward tide |
DefinitionAn act that pardoned any pirate who promised to stop
plundering, all past acts of pirating were forgiven
Word that meant to hail a ship or a person, or attract attention Slang phrase, one of the more polite, meaning that two people were having sex Not a rented dwelling, but a room A command meaning to stop or desist Word meaning yes Also used as an adjective meaning reluctant or shy An insulting for a woman, similar to “hussy” Sailing term to fasten the rope around the belaying pin; also meant “stop” Deck of the ship containing the mess, sickbay, living/sleeping quarters; usually above the waterline Insult meaning a scoundrel Mark on the skin that indicated death (think of the plague) Word often used by the English as a swear to express anger, resentment, detestation English term of expression for frustration Pillaged loot A term of naval combat meaning to discharge all the guns on one side of a ship Slang term meaning a sexual fling Beverage in the West Indies that consisted of rum, water, sugar, and nutmeg Slang term used to refer to the cat o’nine tails Pirate euphemism for hanging Phrase meaning a dead victim was better than a live one that could testify in court Cushion placed between boats, or between boats and a pier, to prevent damage Beverage of hot beer and brandy with sugar and occasionally spices Often the answer given from a pirate when asked from where they hail; they were loyal to no one except themselves Wooden frame from which dead pirates were hung in warning to others Slang phrase meaning to have sex – giving a girl a green gown can only happen in grass Beverage of watered down rum Word meaning large, coarse – generally not used to mean disgusting Phrase referring to corpses of pirates hanging in a metal cage as warning to others To turn a ship so that its bow heads into the wind, leaving the ship motionless or drifting, to meet a storm Word meaning the hangman’s noose Word meaning to cheat Not always meant to be insulting; someone with impaired mental ability Phrase used when establishing a time limit, essentially the amount of time for an inch tall candle to burn down Abusive term applied to women; something like bitch Harlot, whore, or kept mistress Black flag bearing a white skull and crossbones, popular flag of many pirates Phrase meaning to be watchful or alert Word meaning a clumsy seaman or unseamanlike fellow Nautical unit of measurement equating to approximately three miles The side sheltered from the wind Phrase meaning the shore is protected from the wind Phrase used to describe the behavior of winds and tides, both are going in the same direction Word used to describe wind direction, one is with the wind (wind at your back) License to a private citizen to seize property of another nation Freedom from restraint; liberty Order given to helmsman to put the helm towards the lee side of the ship to sail nearer to the wind Not pasta but a fop or dandy Actually meant to flirt or court, not to have sex When used as a verb, it meant to show forth, demonstrate, or make clear Act of putting a crewmen ashore on a deserted island with intent to abandon Term used to mean a comrade, good fellow, or crewmen - person of heart, brave and loyal An honorific applied to most women of a certain age, regardless of marital status Beverage of ale, made from wheat and oat malts and flavored with herbs Phrase used by pirates to state that pay would not be given unless prizes were captured Phrase meaning no mercy would be given, no prisoners would be taken Phrase meaning one is in a tough spot or has run out of options A job or position Beverage from Portugal that is sweet English term for a brothel A prostitute Word/phrase meaning to haul up or draw in anchor by means of the capstan Word used by pirates meaning mercy Several stations of a ship’s crew in time of action Command given to the boatswain’s crew ordering for all hands to be attentive and at their stations Phrase referring to roped weapons used to inflict punishment Phrase meaning to play a trick Food that resembled a chef salad with marinated fish, turtle, and meat with herbs, palm hearts, spiced wine, oil, hard-boiled eggs, pickled onions, cabbage, grapes, and olives Insult meaning a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel Word, when posed as a question, means ‘Do you understand?’ derived from the French word scavior Word meaning to go right before the wind; going in this direction without sails set is called spooning Drain holes on a deck Though it was also a disease, when used by pirates it was generally an insult meaning vile, mean, contemptible To cut or open a hole in a ship’s hull for the purpose of sinking Adventurers and privateers that attacked Spanish ships and towns in the New World Not the act of copulation; rather, women generally (the fair sex) Beverage of beer, ale, or stout To go snacks is to share something or divide it equally Phrase meaning to have a drink, or several Word meaning raw, untrained recruits, or children Word meaning sudden and violent gust of wind or storm Insult meaning a buffoon Word meaning a social class, rank, or lot in life Word meaning a supplier One who behaves like a sailor of low rank; low or unmannerly fellow Sword and shield wielding fighter that would bash both weapons together to create loud noise as a distraction or to appear flashy during a battle Phrase meaning to waste time Phrase meaning all three sails of a ship are cast, causing it to shudder and stagger like a drunken sailor To clean up A sea atlas or book of charts and sailing instructions Phrase meaning to heave the anchor up to prepare for sail Word used to describe wind direction, one is against the wind (wind at your face) Phrase used to describe the behavior of winds and tides, both are going in opposite directions |