"OCEAN PLANET" NAUTICAL SAYINGS

The sea has contributed countless words, expressions and concepts to mainstream English. We seldom reflect upon their oceangoing origin when we use such expressions as: all in the same boat, blow over, crabby, don't give up the ship, down the hatch, getting the drift, happy as a clam, keel over, like a fish out of water, making headway, navy blue, small fry, the coast is clear, go off the deep end, take the wind out of his sails, or wide berth. Other expressions with less obvious nautical roots include:

• Groggy comes from "grog," the name sailors in the British Royal Navy disdainfully used for their daily ration of a half-pint of rum, after it was decreed in 1740 that the rum should be diluted with an equal amount of water. The unpopular order was issued by Vice Admiral Sir Edward Vernon, nicknamed "Old Grog" because of the impressive grogam cloak he wore on deck.

• Horse Latitudes refer to the regions of calm found at latitudes 30 degrees N. to 30 degrees S. It is said that sailing ships carrying horses to America, when becalmed in these latitudes, had to throw horses overboard in order to lighten their vessels and take advantage of any gentle breezes that might blow their way.

• Overwhelm comes from the Middle English word meaning "to capsize."

• Pooped out originally described the condition of seamen caught on the poop or aft deck after a wave from heavy seas crashed down upon it.

• Rummage sale stems from the French word arrimage, meaning "the loading of a cargo ship." Damaged cargo was occasionally sold at special warehouse sales.

• Skyscraper traditionally referred to the topsail of a ship and only more recently has come to mean a tall building.

• Slush funds were once the personal funds of ship cooks, who earned them by skimming off the fat, or "slush," from cooking and selling it when the ship came into port.

• Stranded vessels were ones that had drifted or run aground on a strand or beach.

More Information:

• The SEA-MAN's Vade Mecum: The Maritime Dictionary, explaining most Sea Terms - London 1707
• The Mariner's Jewel: An Explanation of the most usual Sea Terms - London, 1735

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gene carl feldman (gene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov) (301) 286-9428

Judith Gradwohl, Smithsonian Institution (Curator/Ocean Planet)