| Pirate Speak of the 1700s |
| a few words, terms, and phrases used aboard sailing ships during the 18th century |
ACTS OF PARDON OR GRACE : A decree from the King to administer a general amnesty under which reformed
pirates might surrender in return for a certificate of pardon. These were often used in an attempt to bring pirates away
from their criminal activities because of the enormous pressures of the trade companies on the government to do
something. Veteran privateers and pirates had their place however, when war broke out they were still needed to fill
the ranks of warships and bring assets to the crown.
AFT, ABAFT : Pertaining to the rear portion of the ship.
AVAST YE! : A hailing phrase to indicate those hailed must stop and give attention.
AWEIGH : The moment the anchor leaves the sea floor, as in "anchors away," the command to raise anchors in
preparation for sailing.
BALLAST : Heavy materials such as stones or spare cannon barrels placed in the lowest portion of a sailing vessel in
order to provide stability.
BAR : As a sandbar or mudbar. An area of shallow water, usually just off the coast and caused by the tidal action of
the water where mud or sand is higher than usual. These were a danger to sailing vessels such as Blackbeard's
flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge, which foundered on a sandbar of Beaufort Inlet in 1718.
BAR SHOT : A particular type of cannonball with a head of some kind on each end of a short bar. This type of shot
would be employed against the riggings and mast of an enemy ship because of the amount of damage the spinning bar
would cause.
BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Doors on ships, whether vertical or horizontal are called hatches, and during
inclement weather would need to be secured with wooden boards called battens to keep rain and seawater from
getting inside.
BEFORE THE MAST : Aboard most ships, the crew's quarters were toward the fore of the ship while the officer's
quarters were toward the rear. Thus, a sailor who sailed "before the mast" was a regular crewman rather than an
officer.
BELAY : A stopper. An order to belay meant stop what you are doing. A belaying pin held fast a line, and lines were
used to belay, or hold, the sails.
BEAT TO QUARTERS : The order to 'beat to quarters' would be given to the ships drummer, who would then beat out
the particular drumbeat sending the crew scrambling to their battle stations, or quarters.
BELLY TIMBER : Food, especially a hardy meal that would fill one's belly.
BILGE WATER : The lowest portion of the ship within the hull is known as the bilge, and water that collects in the
bilge through rain or leaks in the hull would collect and putrify, becoming a stinking muck.
BILGED ON HER ANCHOR : A ship holed or pierced by her own anchor. Often, during inclement weather, ships
would lower anchors for stability on rough seas. While lowering an anchor, the heavy iron would sometimes begin to
swinging, and occasionally batter a hole in the hull of the ship, letting in seawater.
BITTER END : The last part of an anchor line which is secured to the ship. A line that has run out to the bitter end has
gone as far as it can, whether the anchor has reached bottom or not.
BLACK DOG : Counterfeit silver coins passed between 1705 and 1730. Also, a character in R.L Stevenson's Treasure
Island.
BLACK SPOT : Tipping the black spot was a way pirates gave a death threat, as in the novel Treasure Island. A
paper marked with a black smudge on one side and often a message on the other, making a specific threat.
BLACK IVORY : Ivory was once a valuable trade commodity which brought great profits to merchants. Slave trading
became a very profitable venture and so African slaves became known as "black ivory."
BLUE SKIN : A person of mixed black and white origin, not unusual among pirates and peoples of the West Indies.
BLUE WATER : Deep water, generally over 100 fathoms deep.
BOOMS OR FENDERS : Spars to which a sail is fastened to control its position relative to the wind.
BOOT-TOPPING : A hurried, partial careen.
BOWSPRIT : A spar which projects forward of the bow of a vessel and meant to carry the headstay far forward.
BRIG, BRIGANTINE : A two-masted sailing ship, square rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft with topsails on the
mainmast.
BROUGHT A SPRING UPON HER CABLE : Came around in a different direction.
BROADSIDE : Firing all the guns along one side of the ship at once and delivering a mighty blow to an enemy ship.
BUCCANEERS : The original "cow killers" who illegally settled Hispaniola. The name comes from their method of
smoke-curing meat on a kind of grill called a boucan. During the 17th and 18th century, after the boucaneers were
driven from their island home by Spanish settlers, they took to the sea and preyed upon the Spanish colonies, as well
as the merchant ships travelling to colonies in the Americas and the Caribbean.
BURGOO : Oatmeal boiled and seasoned with butter, sugar, and salt.
BUTCHER'S BILL : The cost in human lives of a battle; the wounded and dead laying about the deck after a fight.
pirates might surrender in return for a certificate of pardon. These were often used in an attempt to bring pirates away
from their criminal activities because of the enormous pressures of the trade companies on the government to do
something. Veteran privateers and pirates had their place however, when war broke out they were still needed to fill
the ranks of warships and bring assets to the crown.
AFT, ABAFT : Pertaining to the rear portion of the ship.
AVAST YE! : A hailing phrase to indicate those hailed must stop and give attention.
AWEIGH : The moment the anchor leaves the sea floor, as in "anchors away," the command to raise anchors in
preparation for sailing.
BALLAST : Heavy materials such as stones or spare cannon barrels placed in the lowest portion of a sailing vessel in
order to provide stability.
BAR : As a sandbar or mudbar. An area of shallow water, usually just off the coast and caused by the tidal action of
the water where mud or sand is higher than usual. These were a danger to sailing vessels such as Blackbeard's
flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge, which foundered on a sandbar of Beaufort Inlet in 1718.
BAR SHOT : A particular type of cannonball with a head of some kind on each end of a short bar. This type of shot
would be employed against the riggings and mast of an enemy ship because of the amount of damage the spinning bar
would cause.
BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES : Doors on ships, whether vertical or horizontal are called hatches, and during
inclement weather would need to be secured with wooden boards called battens to keep rain and seawater from
getting inside.
BEFORE THE MAST : Aboard most ships, the crew's quarters were toward the fore of the ship while the officer's
quarters were toward the rear. Thus, a sailor who sailed "before the mast" was a regular crewman rather than an
officer.
BELAY : A stopper. An order to belay meant stop what you are doing. A belaying pin held fast a line, and lines were
used to belay, or hold, the sails.
BEAT TO QUARTERS : The order to 'beat to quarters' would be given to the ships drummer, who would then beat out
the particular drumbeat sending the crew scrambling to their battle stations, or quarters.
BELLY TIMBER : Food, especially a hardy meal that would fill one's belly.
BILGE WATER : The lowest portion of the ship within the hull is known as the bilge, and water that collects in the
bilge through rain or leaks in the hull would collect and putrify, becoming a stinking muck.
BILGED ON HER ANCHOR : A ship holed or pierced by her own anchor. Often, during inclement weather, ships
would lower anchors for stability on rough seas. While lowering an anchor, the heavy iron would sometimes begin to
swinging, and occasionally batter a hole in the hull of the ship, letting in seawater.
BITTER END : The last part of an anchor line which is secured to the ship. A line that has run out to the bitter end has
gone as far as it can, whether the anchor has reached bottom or not.
BLACK DOG : Counterfeit silver coins passed between 1705 and 1730. Also, a character in R.L Stevenson's Treasure
Island.
BLACK SPOT : Tipping the black spot was a way pirates gave a death threat, as in the novel Treasure Island. A
paper marked with a black smudge on one side and often a message on the other, making a specific threat.
BLACK IVORY : Ivory was once a valuable trade commodity which brought great profits to merchants. Slave trading
became a very profitable venture and so African slaves became known as "black ivory."
BLUE SKIN : A person of mixed black and white origin, not unusual among pirates and peoples of the West Indies.
BLUE WATER : Deep water, generally over 100 fathoms deep.
BOOMS OR FENDERS : Spars to which a sail is fastened to control its position relative to the wind.
BOOT-TOPPING : A hurried, partial careen.
BOWSPRIT : A spar which projects forward of the bow of a vessel and meant to carry the headstay far forward.
BRIG, BRIGANTINE : A two-masted sailing ship, square rigged on the foremast and fore-and-aft with topsails on the
mainmast.
BROUGHT A SPRING UPON HER CABLE : Came around in a different direction.
BROADSIDE : Firing all the guns along one side of the ship at once and delivering a mighty blow to an enemy ship.
BUCCANEERS : The original "cow killers" who illegally settled Hispaniola. The name comes from their method of
smoke-curing meat on a kind of grill called a boucan. During the 17th and 18th century, after the boucaneers were
driven from their island home by Spanish settlers, they took to the sea and preyed upon the Spanish colonies, as well
as the merchant ships travelling to colonies in the Americas and the Caribbean.
BURGOO : Oatmeal boiled and seasoned with butter, sugar, and salt.
BUTCHER'S BILL : The cost in human lives of a battle; the wounded and dead laying about the deck after a fight.
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