Pirate Speak

Be prepared for Fowey Regatta’s “Dress & Talk Like A Pirate” Day

Here are a few words and phrases that might come in handy…

Abandon Ship!
An order to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger.

Ahoy!
Hello!

Arr!
An exclamation. Pirate catch phrase of grumbling or disgust.

Avast Ye
A command meaning pay attention or listen.

Aye, Aye
Yes, I understand.

Batten Down the Hatches
When everything on a ship is tied down to prepare for an approaching storm.

Booty
Refers to any ill-gotten goods swiped from another party.

Bounty
The reward for capturing a criminal.

Briny Deep
The ocean/sea.

Buccaneer
A pirate.

Carouser
A reckless person who drinks too much.

Clap of Thunder
A strong alcoholic beverage, usually referring to a shot.

Davy Jones’ Locker
Graveyard at the bottom of the sea for those killed or drowned.

Dead Men Tell No Tales
An expression that means dead people will not betray any secrets. Used as a threat to kill someone, or a way of saying there were no survivors.

Doubloons
Types of Spanish gold coins.

Fire in the Hole!
A cannon is about to be fired.

Grog
Usually diluted rum, but can be used to refer to any alcoholic concoction.

Hang the Jib
The jib in this case means the lower lip. To pout or frown.

Hearties
Friends, comrades.

Heave To
An interjection meaning to come to a halt.

Hornswaggle
To swindle something, usually money, out of someone else.

Jolly Roger
The name for the iconic black pirate flag featuring a white skull and crossbones.

Lad, lass, lassie
A child or young person.

Landlubber
Someone without sailing ability.

Loot
Stolen money or possessions.

Marooned
To be abandoned with little to no food, drink or possessions.

Matey
A piratical way to address a person in a cheerful, though not necessarily friendly, fashion.

Me
My.

Old Salt
Experienced pirate or sailor.

Pieces Of Eight
Spanish silver coins worth one peso or eight “reales” sometimes literally cut into eight pieces, each worth one real.

Plunder
To steal.

Run a Rig
Play a joke on someone.

Scallywag
What an experienced pirate would call a newbie.

Scurvy
A derogatory adjective meaning lowly or disgusting.

Seadog
A veteran sailor.

Shanty
A song that sailors sing in unison while working.

Shiver Me Timbers!
An exclamation of surprise.

Sink Me!
An exclamation of surprise.

Thar She Blows!
A whale sighting.

Three Sheets to the Wind
Someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly drunk, and four sheets is passed out.

Walk the Plank
When someone is forcibly ordered to walk off a wooden board into the sea, resulting in drowning.

Wench
A woman.

Ye
You.

Yo Ho Ho!
A jolly expression.