Flipbook - TBF Autumn 2025 - Flipbook - Page 45
Common Naval
Sayings & Their
Origins
Batten down the hatches
Meaning: Prepare for trouble or bad weather.
Origin: Sailors secured hatches with wooden
battens before storms to keep water out.
Show your true colours
Meaning: Reveal your real intentions or
character. Origin: Warships would sometimes
fly false flags to deceive enemies, only
revealing their true flag before attacking.
Pipe down
Meaning: Be quiet. Origin: The boatswain’s
pipe signalled lights out aboard ship - time to
stop talking and settle in.
Three sheets to the wind
Meaning: Very drunk. Origin: Refers to sails
(sheets) flapping loosely in the wind, causing
a ship to stagger like a drunk sailor.
Cut and run
Meaning: Leave quickly, often to escape
trouble. Origin: Ships would cut anchor ropes
to flee danger without delay.
The bitter end
Meaning: The final part of something, often
unpleasant. Origin: The last part of an anchor
Why It’s Called
“The Head”
cable tied to the ship’s bitts - when you’ve
reached it, there’s no more rope left.
Clean slate
Meaning: A fresh start. Origin: Officers
recorded ship data on slates during their
watch. At shift change, the slate was wiped
clean.
Know the ropes
Meaning: Be familiar with the basics. Origin:
New sailors had to learn the complex rigging
system - literally knowing which ropes did
what.
Loose cannon
Meaning: An unpredictable person. Origin:
A cannon not properly secured could roll
dangerously across the deck.
Groggy
Meaning: Dazed or sluggish. Origin: From
“grog,” a diluted rum ration. Too much grog
left sailors feeling groggy.
The term “head” for a ship’s toilet dates back
to the Age of Sail, when ships were powered
by wind and crewed by hardy souls with
strong stomachs.
from behind, placing the toilet at the front
meant any unpleasant smells were blown
away from the crew quarters.
• Location, location, location:
• Terminology evolution:
On old sailing ships, the toilet area was
placed at the bow (front) of the ship - right
near the figurehead. This spot was chosen
because waves crashing against the bow
helped wash away waste naturally.
Sailors began referring to this area simply
as “the head,” and the name stuck - even as
ships modernized and plumbing improved.
• Wind advantage:
Since ships typically sailed with the wind
Even today, the term is still used in the Navy,
Coast Guard, and among recreational sailors.
So if someone says they’re heading to “the
head,” they’re not talking about the ship’s
captain - they’re off to answer nature’s call.
The Banchory Fly |Autumn 2025 Page 45
