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Able Seaman One who can hand, reef and steer and is well-acquainted with the duties of a seaman.
Academy (Slang) A brothel, also Nanny House and Pushing School.
Back Wind change; anticlockwise.
Backed sail One set in the direction for the opposite tack to slow a ship.
Backstays Similar to shrouds in function, except that they run from the hounds of the topmast, or topgallant, all the way to the deck. (Also a useful/spectacular way to return to deck for a topman.)
Backstays, Running A less permanent backstay, rigged with a tackle to allow it to be slacked to clear a gaff or boom.
Barky (Slang) Seamen's affectionate name for their vessel.
Belaying Pins Wooden pins set into racks at the side of a ship. Lines are secured about these, allowing instant release by their removal.
Binnacle Cabinet on the quarterdeck that houses compasses, the deck log, traverse board, lead lines, telescope, speaking trumpet, etc.
Bitts Stout horizontal pieces of timber, supported by strong verticals, that extend deep into the ship. These hold the anchor cable when the ship is at anchor.
Block Article of rigging that allows pressure to be diverted or, when used with others, increased. Consists of a pulley wheel, made of lignum vitae, encased in a wooden shell. Blocks can be single, double (fiddle block), triple or quadruple. The main suppliers were Taylors, of Southampton.
Board Before being promoted to lieutenant, midshipmen would be tested for competence by a board of post captains. Should they prove able they are then known as passed midshipmen, but could not assume the rank of lieutenant until appointed as such.
Boatswain (Pronounced Bosun) The warrant officer superintending sails, rigging, canvas, colours, anchors, cables and cordage etc., committed to his charge.
Boom Lower spar to which the bottom of a gaff sail is attached.
Braces Lines used to adjust the angle between the yards, and the fore and aft line of the ship. Mizzen braces and braces of a brig lead forward.
Brawn Potted meat, usually pig and drawn from the head.
Brig Two-masted vessel, square-rigged on both masts.
Bumboat (Slang) Small vessel that carries supplies to ships at anchor. These usual consist of small luxuries, fresh bread, illicit drink and cheap novelties etc. which are offered at an exorbitant price.
Bulkhead A partition within the hull of a ship.
Bulwark The planking or woodwork about a vessel above her deck.
Canister Type of shot, also known as case. Small iron balls packed into a cylindrical case.
Carronade Short cannon firing a heavy shot. Invented by Melville, Gascoigne and Miller in late 1770's and adopted from 1779. Often used on the upper deck of larger ships, or as the main armament of smaller.
Cascabel Part of the breech of a cannon.
Caulk (Slang) To sleep. Also caulking, a process that sealed the seams between strakes.
Channel (When part of a ship) Projecting ledge that holds deadeyes from shrouds and backstays. Originally chain-wales.
Chink (Slang) Money.
Chips /Chippy (Slang) Traditional name for the carpenter. Originally from the ship builders who were allowed to carry out small lumps of wood, or chips, at the end of their shift.
Chitterlings Basic meal made from the small intestines of a pig.
Close-Hauled Sailing as near as possible into the wind.
Coaming A ridged frame about hatches to prevent water on deck from getting below.
Companionway A staircase or passageway.
Counter The lower part of a vessel's stern.
Course A large square lower sail, hung from a yard, with sheets controlling and securing it.
Cove (Slang) A man, usually a rogue.
Cull (Slang) As above.
Cutter Fast, small, single-masted vessel with a sloop rig. Also a seaworthy ship's boat.
Dale Drain aboard ship, larger than a scupper.
Deadeyes A round, flattish wooden block with three holes, through which a lanyard is reeved. Used to tension shrouds and backstays.
Ditty Bag (Slang) A seaman's bag. Derives its name from the dittis or 'Manchester stuff' of which it was once made.
Double Tides (Slang) Working alternate watches (also watch and watch about).
Dunnage Officially the packaging around cargo. Also (Slang) baggage or possessions.
Fall The free end of a lifting tackle on which the men haul.
Fetch To arrive at, or reach, a destination. Also the distance the wind blows across the water. The longer the fetch the bigger the waves.
Forereach To gain upon, or pass by another ship when sailing in a similar direction.
Forestay Stay supporting the masts running forward, serving the opposite function of the backstay. Runs from each mast at an angle of about 45 degrees to meet another mast, the deck or the bowsprit.
Friday Face (Slang) A dismal countenance. Before, and even long after the Reformation, Friday was a day of abstinence, or jour maigre.
Frizzen The striking plate that encourages the spark in a flintlock mechanism. Also known as a steel.
Futtock A lower frame in the hull of a ship (similar to a rib). Futtock shrouds run down from the edge of a top to the mast.
Gentleman's Walk (Slang) Cape Town's Heerengracht (now Adderley Street) a road that led to the fortress and was a popular promenade for senior officers and the gentry.
Glass Telescope. Also, hourglass: an instrument for measuring time (and hence, as slang, a period of time). Also a barometer.
Gingerbread (Slang) The ornate carvings common on larger ship's sterns.
Grimaldi (Joey) (1778 – 1837) English comic actor and comedian.
Gun Room In a third rate and above, a mess for junior officers. For lower rates the gun room is the equivalent of the wardroom.
Go About To alter course, changing from one tack to the other.
Halyards Lines which raise yards, sails, signals etc.
Hanger A fighting sword similar to a cutlass.
Hard Tack Ship's biscuit.
Hawse Area in the bows where holes are cut to allow the anchor cables to pass through. Also used as general term for bows.
Hawser Heavy cable used for hauling, towing or mooring.
Headway The amount a vessel is moved forward (rather than leeway: the amount a vessel is moved sideways) when the wind is not directly behind.
Heave To Keeping a ship relatively stationary by backing certain sails in a seaway.
HEIC Honourable East India Company.
Holder One aboard ship employed to move stores below deck.
Idler A man who, through his duty or position, does not stand a watch, but (usually) works during the day and can sleep throughout the night.
Île-de-France Modern day Mauritius.
Interest Backing from a superior officer or one in authority, useful when looking for promotion.
Jib Boom Boom run out from the extremity of the bowsprit, braced by means of a martingale stay, which passes through the dolphin striker.
John Company (Slang) The Honourable East India Company.
Junk Old line used to make wads etc.
Jury Mast/Rig Temporary measure used to restore a vessel's sailing ability.
Lagged (Slang) To be transported.
Landsman The rating of one with no experience at sea.
Lanthorn Large lantern.
Larboard Left side of the ship when facing forward. Later replaced by 'port', which had previously been used for helm orders.
Leaguer A long cask with a capacity of 127 imperial gallons, normally used to hold water.
Leeward The downwind side of a vessel.
Leeway The amount a vessel is moved sideways by the wind (as opposed to headway, the forward movement, when the wind is directly behind).
Liner (Slang) Ship of the line (of battle). A third rate or above.
Linstock A forked staff to hold a lighted slowmatch. Using a linstock enables a gun captain to fire his weapon from a distance, without the aid of a gunlock.
Loblolly Boy (Slang) Medical assistant.
Lubber/Lubberly (Slang) Unseamanlike behaviour; as a landsman.
Luff Intentionally sail closer to the wind, perhaps to allow work aloft. Also the flapping of sails when brought too close to the wind. The side of a fore and aft sail laced to the mast.
Martingale Stay Line that braces the jib boom, passing from the end through the dolphin striker to the ship.
Molly (Slang) Male homosexual (or female prostitute).
Mother Midnight (Slang) Midwife.
Nanny House (Slang) A brothel, also Academy and Pushing School.
Oldster (Slang) One considered old for their current rank. Usually used in connection with midshipmen or lieutenants.
Orlop The lowest deck in a ship.
Ordinary Seaman A reasonably experienced hand who has usually served at sea for between one and two years.
Peter (Blue) Introduced in the 1750's as a blue flag with six white balls. The later version, which replaced the balls with a white square, became the signal to recall everyone to the ship.
Penny Gaff (Slang) Popular lower class entertainment, the forerunner to music hall.
Point Blank The range of a cannon when fired flat. (For a 32 pounder this would be roughly 1000 feet.)
Pushing School (Slang) A brothel, also Nanny House and Academy.
Pusser (Slang) Purser.
Quarterdeck In larger ships the deck forward of the poop, but at a lower level. The preserve of officers.
Queue A pigtail. Often tied by a seaman's best friend (his tie mate).
Quoin Triangular wooden block placed under the cascabel of a long gun to adjust the elevation.
Ratlines Lighter lines, untarred and tied horizontally across the shrouds at regular intervals, to act as rungs and allow men to climb aloft.
Razee A frigate created from the hull of a ship-of-the-line; the top deck is effectively removed.
Reef A portion of sail that can be taken in to reduce the size of the whole.
Reefing points Light line on large sails which can be tied up to reduce the sail area in heavy weather.
Reefing Tackle Line that leads from the end of the yard to the reefing cringles set in the edges of the sail. It is used to haul up the upper part of the sail when reefing.
Rigging Tophamper; made up of standing (static) and running (moveable) rigging, blocks etc. Also (slang) clothes.
Running Sailing before the wind.
Schooner Small craft with two or three masts.
Scran (Slang) Food.
Scupper Waterway that allows deck drainage.
Sharper (Slang) A cheat; one who lives nefariously by his wits.
Sheet A line that controls the foot of a sail.
Shrouds Lines supporting the masts athwart ship (from side to side) which run from the hounds (just below the top) to the channels on the side of the hull.
Smoke (Slang) To discover, or reveal something hidden.
Soft Tack Bread.
Spirketting The interior lining or panelling of a ship.
Spring Hawser attached to a fixed object that can be tensioned to move the position of a ship fore and aft along a dock, often when setting out to sea. Breast lines control position perpendicular to the dock.
Stay Sail A quadrilateral or triangular sail with parallel lines hung from under a stay. Usually pronounced stays'l.
Stern Sheets Part of a ship's boat between the stern and the first rowing thwart and used for passengers.
Stingo (Slang) Beer.
Strake A plank.
Tack To turn a ship, moving her bows through the wind. Also a leg of a journey relating to the direction of the wind. If from starboard, a ship is on the starboard tack. Also the part of a fore and aft loose-footed sail where the sheet is attached, or a line leading forward on a square course to hold the lower part of the sail forward.
Taffrail Rail around the stern of a vessel.
Thumper (Slang) A third rate or above.
Ticket Men Hands employed aboard a pressing tender to replace those crew seized, and see the vessel safely to harbour.
Timoneer One who steers a ship.
Tophamper Literally any weight either on a ship’s decks or about her tops and rigging, but often used loosely to refer to spars and rigging.
Tow Cotton waste.
Trick (Slang) A period of duty.
Veer Wind change, clockwise.
VOC Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie. The Dutch East India Company that was formed in 1602 and officially became defunct in 1799 although the title, and much of the ethos, remained for some while.
Waist Area of main deck between the quarterdeck and forecastle.
Wale A reinforced section of hull that runs from bow to stern.
Watch Period of four (or in case of a dogwatch, two) hours of duty. Also describes the two or three divisions of a crew.
Watch List List of men and their stations, usually carried by lieutenants and divisional officers.
Wearing To change the direction of a square-rigged ship across the wind by putting its stern through the eye of the wind. Also jibe – more common in a fore and aft rig.
Wedding Garland An actual garland that would be raised when a ship was expected to remain at anchor for some while. It signified the vessel was not on active duty and women were allowed aboard. This was considered a preferable alternative to granting shore leave, a concession that was bound to be abused.
Windward The side of a ship exposed to the wind.
Wool Gathering (Slang) Daydreaming.
Yellow (Admiral) The rank of Admiral was achieved solely through seniority. Following a man being made post (captain) he gradually rose on the captains' list as those above him died, retired, or were promoted. On attaining flag rank he would normally be appointed Rear Admiral of the Blue Squadron, the lowest level of flag officer other than Commodore. But should the man be considered unsuitable for such a position, he would effectively be appointed to an unspecified and non existent squadron and forcibly retired from the sea.