Brush up on your “Pirate Talk” with these helpful pirate phrases.
Brush up on your “Pirate Talk” with these helpful pirate phrases.
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Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Pirate catch phrase of grumbling or disgust Ahoy! Hello! Ahoy, Matey Hello, my friend! Ahoy, Me Hearties! Hello, my friends, crew members, etc.; addressed to group All Hands on Deck! Everyone touch the deck! Avast Ye Pay attention and check this out! Aye Yes Aye, Aye A crew member says this to the Captain, meaning “I will get that done right away!” -
Batten Down The Hatches Tie everything down and put stuff away for a coming storm. Bilge-Sucking An insulting expression of disdain Blimey! Surprise, shock Blow me down! Phrase of amazement or shock Blow The Man Down The Captain’s command to get rid of a person Booty A treasure Bounty A reward for capturing a known criminal, such as a pirate Bring a Spring Upon ‘er Turn the ship in a different direction Broadside The most vulnerable angle of a ship that runs the length of the boat Buccaneer A pirate Bucko Friend, a pirate, same as a buccaneer -
Carouser Reckless or loud person who drinks excessively Cat O’Nine Tails A special kind of whip that has 9 strands Chantey Song sung together by sailors or pirates in unison, while they work Chase A vessel that is being pursued Chase Gun The main cannon at the bow of a ship Clap of Thunder Strong, alcoholic drink, like a shot Cleave Him to the Brisket An order to kill a man by cutting across his chest from the shoulders to stomach. Clipper Fast-moving boat or ship Coffer The treasure chest Cog Smaller war ship Corsair Pirates from the Mediterranean Crack Jenny’s Teacup Term for spending the night with a prostitute Crow’s Nest A small lookout platform near the mast to see long distances Cutlass A thick, heavy and rather short sword blade for pirates -
Davy Jones’ Locker A mystical fable about an evil spirit from the bottom of the ocean that draws pirates or sailors down to their death Dead Men Tell No Tales An expression meaning no survivors left behind Doubloons Types of Spanish gold coins piratesfind -
Fathom Six feet Feed the Fish About to die Fire in the Hole Warning given to crew before a cannon is fired Flogging Severe beating of a person Galley Flat ship propelled manually by oars Gangplank Removable ramp between the pier and ship Go on Account A phrase pirates used to say they were turning into a pirate Grog Rum or liquor diluted by water Grog Blossom Someone with a red nose from drinking too frequently, alcoholic -
Hands Crew members or sailors of a ship Hang ‘Emfrom the Yardarm Type of punishment served to a prisoner Hang the Jib Frown or pout Head Potty or toilet on a pirate ship Hearties Friends, fellow comrades or sailors Heave Ho Put your weight and muscle into it Heave To Stop!! Hempen Halter A rope hanging noose Hornswaggle Cheat or defraud someone out of assets or money -
Jack Flag flown at the front of ship to show nationality Jack Ketch The hangman. “Dance with Jack Ketch” means to hang Jacob’s Ladder A rope ladder used to climb aboard a boat Jolly Roger Black pirate flag with white skull and crossbones Keelhaul Painful punishment whereby the pirates drag a person side-to-side under the pirate ship and they get cut up by the planks and barnacles from the bottom of the ship Killick Small, stone anchor with a wooden frame -
Lad, lass, lassie A kid or young person Landlubber An inexperienced or clumsy person who doesn’t have any sailing skills Letters of Marque Government-issued letters allowing privateers the right to piracy of another ship during wartime Lookout The pirate who keeps watch for land or oncoming ships Loot Stolen money or belongings
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Man-O-War A pirate ship that is decked out and prepared for battle Maroon Leave someone stranded on a deserted island with no supplies, which was a common punishment for any crew members who disrespected or dishonored the Captain Marooned To be abandoned with no food, drink, or possessions Me My Mizzen The 3rd mast from the ship’s bow of bigger ships Mutiny When crew gang up against the Captain of the ship or other authority -
No Prey, No Pay The ship’s crew received no wages; however they got a part of the loot or treasure Old Salt Experienced pirate or sailor Pieces of eight Spanish coins in pirate treasures Pillage Rob, ransack or plunder Piracy Robbery performed at sea, often to another ship Plunder Take booty or burglarize Poop deck (Not the toilet!) This is a part of the ship above the Captain’s headquarters at the farthest point back Privateer Government-appointed pirates -
Red Ensign British Flag Rum Pirate’s favorite alcoholic beverage Run a Rig Play a joke or a trick on someone Run a Shot Across the Bow Warning shot given to another boat’s Captain -
Sail, Ho! A warning that another ship is in view Savvy? A question asking, “Do you get it?” or “Do you understand?” Scallywag A kidding type of word that a superior pirate might call one of the rookie pirates Scourge of the 7 Seas Pirate known as the worst kind Scurvy Dog The pirate is calling you an insulting name Scuttle Sink a ship Seadog A veteran sailor or old pirate Sea Legs When a sailor adjusts his balance from riding on a boat for a long time Shark Bait This is what you become after you walk the plank Shipshape The ship is managed and clean, everything is under control Shiver Me Timbers! Something like, “Holy Cow!” a surprised or shocked expression Sink Me! Another expression of surprise Son of a Biscuit Eater A name or insult for someone you dislike Splice the Mainbrace! Pass a round of drinks out to the crew Spyglass Telescope Squiffy Tipsy or intoxicated, shaky footing Strike Colors Lower a ship’s flag to indicate surrender Swab Mop or clean the ship’s deck and floorboards -
Take a Caulk Take a nap Tar Sailor, crew member Thar She Blows! Whale sighting Three Sheets to the Wind Very drunk, intoxicated -
Walk the Plank Prisoner is ordered to walk off the board overlapping the ocean, which results in drowning and presumably a meet-up with Davy Jones Locker. Weigh Anchor and Hoist the Mizzen! An order to the crew to pull up the anchor and get this ship sailing! Wench A woman or peasant girl -
Ye You Yellow Jack When a ship flies a yellow flag, it indicates the presence of an ill crew member, such as yellow fever. But this was also a trick that smart pirates used to avoid becoming the target of another ship. Yo Ho Ho! A cheery expression to get someone’s attention