‘Three Sheets to the Wind’

How Naval History has Shaped the English Language — Part II

By MARK S. LONGO

From politics to intoxication, naval terminology has filtered into every area of modern discourse. The English language is filled with words and phrases that were derived from naval history. Writer Mark S. Longo’s first installment on naval terminology and the English language appeared in the March 2004 issue of Seapower. Here, he continues his list of well-known phrases and their nautical derivations.

• “Cut and run” — “Cut and run” originated as a naval warfare term that signified a sudden escape from a superior foe. Some naval historians believe that “cut and run” derives from the act of cutting a boat’s anchor line and quickly sailing away.
• While some desperate captains may have resorted to that drastic measure, it is unlikely to have been a common practice. Cutting the anchor line would leave a ship without any means of stopping, short of lowering the sails.
• A more likely derivation was the practice of tying up square sails with string or yarn. The string could easily be cut away and the sails unfurled if a quick escape was necessary. Today, “cut and run” is used to signify a sudden escape.
• “Feeling blue” — When a ship’s captain died during a voyage, his ship would return to port flying a blue flag and bearing a blue stripe on its hull. The term “feeling blue” signifies depression or sadness today.
• “Figurehead” — This term is derived from the ornate figures that decorate the bows, or heads, of most wooden sailing ships. These figures are part of a seafaring tradition that dates back into antiquity. Ancient mariners would carve images of their gods onto the bows of their ships to curry divine favor.
• The tradition of carving figures onto the heads of ships survived well into the 1800s. However, by that time, the figures had lost all religious significance and were merely decorative. As a result, the term figurehead has come to mean someone with a title and no real power.
• “First rate” — In the Royal Navy, ships were classified according to the number of guns they carried. The term “first rate” was the highest classification and usually signified an enormous ship with more than 100 guns. First rate still means top of the line today.
• “Fly by night” — The word fly means “to sail” in nautical jargon. Sailing at night was a difficult and dangerous task. Therefore, when the night watch began, the elaborate sails used during the day were replaced by one large sail.
• This “fly by night” sail was easier to operate in the dark and didn’t require the constant attention of the other sails. This freed the sailors to attend to other important duties, like navigation. The term “fly by night” has come to refer to a shadowy attempt to elude responsibility.
• “Footloose” — A sail had to be properly secured to the boom if a ship was going to catch the wind. If the bottom, or foot, of the sail was not properly secured, it would flap free in the wind. The term “footloose” has come to mean a person who is happy and carefree.
• “Hasn’t got a clue (or clew)” — Clue (clew) refers to a metal loop that is attached to the corner of a sail. The clue is used to fasten the sail to the boom. When the clue is not properly fastened, the sail flaps in the wind and the ship is unable to function. We now refer to someone who is foolish or inept as someone who “hasn’t got a clue.”
• “Keelhaul” — “Keelhauling” refers to a brutal punishment that was inflicted on sailors during the early days of sailing ships. It involved tying the sailor’s hands and then pushing him overboard. He would then be dragged under the keel of the boat and hauled up the other side. The half-drowned sailor would then be dropped overboard again and the process repeated until the punishment was complete or the sailor expired.
  This was eventually phased out in favor of flogging with the cat-o’-nine-tails. However, the term has survived and continues to refer to a harsh punishment.
• “Three sheets to the wind” — Many people are surprised to learn that this expression for drunkenness was born on the high seas. “Sheet” is the nautical term for a rope that controls the tension on a square sail. If the sheets were loose on a three-masted ship, the sails would flap “in the wind.”
  A ship with its sails “in the wind” would drift out of control until the situation was corrected. Thus, the modern phrase “three sheets to the wind” has come to signify a person who is drunk and out of control.

Note: Seapower will publish part three of this article in an upcoming issue.

Mark S. Longo is a Chicago-based writer specializing in military history.