| Pirate Speak of the 1700s |
| a few words, terms, and phrases used aboard sailing ships during the 18th century |
NAUTICAL MILE : A measure of distance at sea, measured as much by time as distance equal to one minute of
latitude, or 6,076 feet, as compared to a land mile of 5280 feet.
NIPPERS : Small, agile boys aboard ship used when dexterity and nimble fingers were required for a job (i.e.
climbing the topmost rigging or out onto the anchor cables to 'nip' cordage onto the hawsers to haul in the lines.)
Nippers are also the same small boys used as pickpockets and thieves on land for similar jobs such as squirming
through small openings into stores and warehouses.
NO PREY, NO PAY : A pirate motto referring to the fact that if they found no prize, they would make no money.
Captain Kidd hired his crew under they same conditions and so they became mutinous when no prizes were had.
NUESTRA SENORA DE ATOCHE : A Spanish treasure ship which sank in 1622. They wreck was discovered in
1983 with almost $400,000,000 in gold, silver, and other valuable artifacts, many pieces are currently on display at
the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida.
OAKUM : Tar soaked strands of old cordage (rope) which were pounded into the seams and in the cracks between
ships planking to keep it watertight.
OCTANT : An type of reflecting instrument used in shipboard navigation shaped roughly as a one-eight slice of a
circle, hence the name octant.
ON AN EVEN KEEL : A ship well trimmed, balanced, and steady on the water is on an even keel (the main timber
running along the center of the hull), and not likely to keel over.
OVERBEARING : Sailing directly downwind at another ship and stealing the wind from their sails. This method of
blocking the wind from another ship, thus reducing the effectiveness of their sails, was a favourite tactic of pirates
to slow their prey.
PARCEL A SEAM : After caulking a seam, a narrow strip of canvas would be sealed and waterproofed with hot tar.
PAY A SEAM : Tarring a seam or crack in the ships planking without parcelling, or canvassing the divide.
PEDRERO : A Spanish swivel gun.
PIECES OF EIGHT : The Spanish dollar, also known as the piece of eight, the real de a ocho, was a silver coin
worth eight reales, that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency reform in 1497. Through
widespread use in Europe, the Americas and the Far East, it became the first world currency by the late 18th
century, and a favorite of pirates the world 'round. Many existing currencies, such as the Canadian dollar, United
States dollar and the Chinese yuan, as well as currencies in Latin America and the Philippine peso were initially
based on the Spanish dollar and other 8 reales coins.
PINK : Any sailing vessel with a narrow stern, as the Dutch pincke.
PINNACE : A small, fast boat which could be rowed or sailed.
PIPE DOWN : Aboard ship, at lights out, the bo'sun would give a whistle signal and thus "pipe down" the activity.
"Pipe down" became the notice for somebody to be quiet.
PIROGUE : A very small boat; a canoe, a dugout, or other small vessel which could move about easily in very
shallow waters.
PIRATE COUNCIL : Pirates would hold council to determine their course of action; where to sail, punishments to
be meted out, etc., rather than have a single man responsible for the decision. In this way, pirate crews were
democratic, allowing a vote for every man aboard.
PISS MONEY AGAINST A WALL : Wasting money on alcohol, which would then be 'pissed away.'
PISTOLE : Any foreign coin.
PITCHER BAWD : A prostitute so old and worn out that she is only good for carrying pitchers of beer about the
tavern to the customers.
POOP : News or information disseminated to the crew.
POOP DECK : The deck at the stern of the ship, usually raised highest above all others. This deck was usually
above the captain's quarters, and he would stand at the rail of the poop deck when delivering news or orders to the
crew.
POOR JOHN : Dried or salted fish.
POWDER : Gunpowder
POWDER BOX : A waterproof box in which gunpowder was stored to keep it dry.
POWDER MONKEY : Small men or boys, usually children, who carried powder from the magazine to the guns
during battle.
PRESS : A means of forcibly recruiting sailors into the navy; impressing men into service, usually by 'press gangs'
who would roam the streets and kidnap able bodied men for the ship.
PUNCH : A drink of any variety of elements; tea, fruit juice, sugar and spices, to which alcohol was added
latitude, or 6,076 feet, as compared to a land mile of 5280 feet.
NIPPERS : Small, agile boys aboard ship used when dexterity and nimble fingers were required for a job (i.e.
climbing the topmost rigging or out onto the anchor cables to 'nip' cordage onto the hawsers to haul in the lines.)
Nippers are also the same small boys used as pickpockets and thieves on land for similar jobs such as squirming
through small openings into stores and warehouses.
NO PREY, NO PAY : A pirate motto referring to the fact that if they found no prize, they would make no money.
Captain Kidd hired his crew under they same conditions and so they became mutinous when no prizes were had.
NUESTRA SENORA DE ATOCHE : A Spanish treasure ship which sank in 1622. They wreck was discovered in
1983 with almost $400,000,000 in gold, silver, and other valuable artifacts, many pieces are currently on display at
the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida.
OAKUM : Tar soaked strands of old cordage (rope) which were pounded into the seams and in the cracks between
ships planking to keep it watertight.
OCTANT : An type of reflecting instrument used in shipboard navigation shaped roughly as a one-eight slice of a
circle, hence the name octant.
ON AN EVEN KEEL : A ship well trimmed, balanced, and steady on the water is on an even keel (the main timber
running along the center of the hull), and not likely to keel over.
OVERBEARING : Sailing directly downwind at another ship and stealing the wind from their sails. This method of
blocking the wind from another ship, thus reducing the effectiveness of their sails, was a favourite tactic of pirates
to slow their prey.
PARCEL A SEAM : After caulking a seam, a narrow strip of canvas would be sealed and waterproofed with hot tar.
PAY A SEAM : Tarring a seam or crack in the ships planking without parcelling, or canvassing the divide.
PEDRERO : A Spanish swivel gun.
PIECES OF EIGHT : The Spanish dollar, also known as the piece of eight, the real de a ocho, was a silver coin
worth eight reales, that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency reform in 1497. Through
widespread use in Europe, the Americas and the Far East, it became the first world currency by the late 18th
century, and a favorite of pirates the world 'round. Many existing currencies, such as the Canadian dollar, United
States dollar and the Chinese yuan, as well as currencies in Latin America and the Philippine peso were initially
based on the Spanish dollar and other 8 reales coins.
PINK : Any sailing vessel with a narrow stern, as the Dutch pincke.
PINNACE : A small, fast boat which could be rowed or sailed.
PIPE DOWN : Aboard ship, at lights out, the bo'sun would give a whistle signal and thus "pipe down" the activity.
"Pipe down" became the notice for somebody to be quiet.
PIROGUE : A very small boat; a canoe, a dugout, or other small vessel which could move about easily in very
shallow waters.
PIRATE COUNCIL : Pirates would hold council to determine their course of action; where to sail, punishments to
be meted out, etc., rather than have a single man responsible for the decision. In this way, pirate crews were
democratic, allowing a vote for every man aboard.
PISS MONEY AGAINST A WALL : Wasting money on alcohol, which would then be 'pissed away.'
PISTOLE : Any foreign coin.
PITCHER BAWD : A prostitute so old and worn out that she is only good for carrying pitchers of beer about the
tavern to the customers.
POOP : News or information disseminated to the crew.
POOP DECK : The deck at the stern of the ship, usually raised highest above all others. This deck was usually
above the captain's quarters, and he would stand at the rail of the poop deck when delivering news or orders to the
crew.
POOR JOHN : Dried or salted fish.
POWDER : Gunpowder
POWDER BOX : A waterproof box in which gunpowder was stored to keep it dry.
POWDER MONKEY : Small men or boys, usually children, who carried powder from the magazine to the guns
during battle.
PRESS : A means of forcibly recruiting sailors into the navy; impressing men into service, usually by 'press gangs'
who would roam the streets and kidnap able bodied men for the ship.
PUNCH : A drink of any variety of elements; tea, fruit juice, sugar and spices, to which alcohol was added
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