Piratical Verbiage

wendEwho
Sea Rovers - pirates, buccaneers, filibustiers, privateers...
Call em what ye will; they have an affinity fer some mighty picaresque language.

I dare say, I'm still waiting for some of my personal favorites; "Aye", "Avast", "Ahoy" and let's not forget "Aarrgh" to be added to the dictionary. Till then, these here will have to do, savvy?

I would wager a handsome venture that after you've perused this list, you'll be using some pirate verbiage, sure enough, in your daily life, mark my words.

Good luck t'ye and fair wind, say I!
30 words 48 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. able
    having the necessary means or skill to do something
    capable, competent; "able bodied seamen"
  2. ardent
    characterized by intense emotion
    passionate, zealous; "Here we be,a dozen choice lads, ardent souls and very eager - and here be a marvellous rich city..."
  3. barbarous
    able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
    Used more frequently to disparage a person's worth than to characterize his conduct (as inhumanity and mercilessness are among the types of traits often prized by pirates).
  4. belay
    turn a rope around something in order to secure it
    stop; "Belay!" listen up; stop what you're doing and pay attention; "Belay the hammers!"shut up; be quiet; "Belay yer cursed jaw-tackle!"
  5. bold
    fearless and daring
    fearless, daring; "I have singled out these bold fellows, with whom I have resolved to venture to the Gulf of Persia."
  6. brethren
    the lay members of a male religious order
    brothers; Used by pirates to refer to their comrades.
  7. butcherly
    poorly done
    violent; murderous; "He was a butcherly dog"
  8. comrade
    a friend who is frequently in the company of another
    also "comarado" - friend, colleague, companion;rnUsed typically to refer to a fellow member of one's company or crew.
  9. cutthroat
    someone who murders by cutting the victim's throat
    evil or dangerous person; villain; killer
  10. daft
    foolish or mentally irregular
    mad, insane; stupid, foolish "Yer daft, mate!"
  11. doubloon
    a former Spanish gold coin
    Pirates occasionally, and redundantly, refer to the coin as a "gold doubloon," as a means of emphasizing or celebrating its worth.
  12. ducat
    formerly a gold coin of various European countries
    "Ducat" was often used loosely as a proxy term for any principal unit of currency, particularly the piece of eight.
  13. grog
    rum cut with water
    liquor, especially rum, mixed with water
  14. lubber
    an awkward, foolish person
    or "landlubber" rnA seaman's derogatory term for a landsman - that is, a person unknowledgeable of and oblivious to the seafaring life. rn"Shiver my timbers, a landlubber I'll never be!"
  15. marauding
    characterized by plundering or pillaging or marauding
    A term for "Engaging in piracy"rn"Morgan was made captain, and they went marauding along the coast, where they captured several ships."
  16. mark
    a distinguishing symbol
    listen to what I am saying; remember my words;rn"(you)mark me", "mark(well)my words(s)"
  17. pestiferous
    contaminated with infecting organisms
    annoying; bothersome
  18. pillage
    steal goods; take as spoils
    A term for "engaging in piracy"
  19. plunder
    steal goods; take as spoils
    Another term for "engaging in piracy - as with similar terms; can be used as a verb as well as a noun. IE the spoils of the "adventure."
  20. rogue
    a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
    Used ironically to convey affection for, familiarity with, joviality to, or mock condemnation of the person addressed.
  21. roving
    relating to persons or groups who travel in search of food or work
    A term for "piracy" or more broadly, the pirate life. "She's gone a roving"
  22. scabrous
    rough to the touch, as if covered with scales or projections
    Literally meaning "scaly" or "scurfy" in reference to a person's skin or an animal's coat, the term is used figuratively to refer more broadly to another as disgusting or offensive. "On deck, you scabrous dogs! Hands to the braces!" (Jack Sparrow, POTC)
  23. scoundrel
    someone who does evil deliberately
    deceitful or wicked person; "Wait, you lily-livered scoundrel! Come back and fight like a man"
  24. shirking
    the evasion of work or duty
    avoiding or neglecting work or duty; lazy, worthless; "Back to work, you shirking lubbers!"
  25. stout
    having rugged physical strength
    dark beer made from roasted malt or roasted barley
  26. upstart
    a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status
    arrogant, overreaching or self-promoting person;rn"Belay, I'll tend to this fine-feathered upstart meself."
  27. verily
    in truth; certainly
    indeed; truly; certainly "Aye, verily, truer words were never spoken."
  28. vermin
    any of various small animals or insects that are pests
    obnoxious, offensive, or contemptible person;rnLiterally meaning an insect or rodent, the term is used figuratively to refer derisively to any despicable person.
  29. wildcat
    any small or medium-sized cat resembling the domestic cat and living in the wild
    Referring to a person of feirce determination or dynamic resourcefulness; a person not easily restrained or defeated; "I'll tell ye plain, that Bijoux is a wildcat, make no mistake."
  30. scalawag
    a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
    Usually spelled "scallywag" - used to refer to a deceitful or mischievous person - but, has been known to be used as a term of endearment as well.
Created on Mon Dec 22 19:00:39 EST 2008 (updated Wed Jun 17 17:08:50 EDT 2009)

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