Nautical_metaphors_in

Nautical metaphors in English

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Thanks to the historical importance of seafaring in British culture, the English language is rich in related metaphors from the age of sail. Some examples are:

Taken aback
Batten down the hatches
Clear the decks
Loaded to the gunwales
Back and fill
On one's beam ends
Awash
Nail one's colours to the mast
Flying the flag
Plain sailing
With flying colours
In the doldrums
All hands to the pumps
Take soundings
Weathering a storm
Swinging the lead
All set
Left high and dry
May the wind always be at your back and may you have following seas

Clear the Decks! -- In the sailing warships of the 1700 and 1800s, not only were many things stored on the main deck and the cannon decks, but the sailors lived on them, and in very tight quarters The decks were a snarl of lines, barrels and boxes, cannons, ship and saile repair and maintenance jobs, hammocks, hanging clothing, and personal items, etc.

To fight the ship, the decks had to be clear so that the cannons (mounted on small wheels) could be (muzzle) loaded, run out, fire, recoil back into the ship, and be loaded again – and this might be necesary on both sides of the ship at the same time. Thus,n othing could permitted on the decks except what was absolutely needed for the guns; nothing could be around to hinder the gunners' movements (firing speed was of the essence); even small items, even lines (nautical for ropes) could block the gun wheels. Thus, a common first battle order was: “Clear the decks for action!”.

Take soundings: In older days, in suspected shallow waters, a crewmember would have the task of repeatedly throwing into the water a piece of lead tied to a string knotted every fathom, for the purpose of estimating the depth of the sea. This saying the nautical equivalent of "Take the lay of the land": see how things are going, or see what people think about a proposed course of action.

Swinging the lead: Sailors used to get lazy or bored of sounding and playfully swing the lead bob to pass the time. It means to be wasting time, or a time wasting tactic.

"Son of a gun" may have referred to a boy born aboard ship during the age of sail-power. Although technically never allowed, women were not infrequently aboard British ships during at least of their voyages (these women included both wives and prostitutes). One theory holds that "son of a gun" was entered into the official log of the ship in cases of questionable or uncertain paternity. Another theory holds that the guns themselves occasionally aided in the birthing process by "kicking" the bulkhead against a woman's back. This theory holds that any boy born in such a manner was a son of a gun.
"All set" is derived from setting lobster traps, commonly used to denote a completed task.

Further reading