Breath of
fresh air: Refreshing and new. A mid-19th century compliment previously
expressed as “a breath of heaven” or “a breath
of spring”.
Clear the
decks: Removing or tying down all objects on the upper decks,
usually in preparation for battle or a storm.
Cut of his
jib: A first impression. The cut of a jib sail could sometimes
be used to determine the nationality of an approaching ship.
Get your
feet wet: To venture into new territory; comes from the notion
of a timid swimmer who is wary of getting into the water at all.
Go overboard:
To go to extremes, especially in favor of someone; comes from
the extreme act of jumping off a ship (probably to save a drowning
person).
Happy as
a clam: To be delighted in one’s lot. Originally “happy
as a clam at high tide,” because clam digging is only done
at low tide, so during high tide a clam would supposedly be carefree.
Hook, line
and sinker: Completely, totally, all of it. Originally “swallow
hook, line, and sinker,” referring to a gullible fish that
takes the bait so completely, it swallows the fishing hook, line
and sinker, as well.
In the swim:
Actively engaged, in the thick of things. A fishing term, where
a large number of fish in one location is sometimes called “a
swim.”
Know the
ropes: Knowledge that differentiates an old hand from a beginner.
The rigging of a large ship could have ten miles of cordage, so
knowing what ropes were for each task was critical.
Pearls of
wisdom: Good advice from a sage source. May have originated from
the New Testament (Matthew 13:45-46), in which the kingdom of
heaven is described as a “pearl of great price.”
Rain or shine:
No matter what happens. Implies that an activity will be carried
out, no matter what the circumstances.
Shipshape:
In tip top order, neat and tidy. The original phrase was “In
shipshape and Bristol fashion,” as the Port of Bristol,
England, was known to be the best regulated and well-organized.
Stem to stern:
From beginning to end, from one end to the other. The stem is
an upright at the front of a boat, and the stern is the back end.
World is
your oyster: Everything is going extremely well. Alludes to the
world being full of opportunities for extracting profit; originated
in William Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.
