The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-12-27
THE SAILORS SLANG
Names That Sailor-Men Use To Their
Mates While Abroad.

MATES w HA1e ADFOdus
Our sailors having acquired re-
markable slang of their own, as will
be seen by the following, which are in
daily use on board:
The boatswain is Tommy" or Tom
mT Pipes"
The carpenter Is "Chippy."
An able seaman ''jarbee."
a stoker is "cinder knotter"
The Master-at-Arms Chief of Police
is tho 'jaunty."
His assistants Ships corporals) are
called .erushers."
A carpenters crew is wood spoil
err"
A cooper is called Jimmy Bungs."
The ships steward assistant, dusty"
The captain of the hold, "tanky."
The boatswain's mate, buffer"
\ bandman is a wind TANNER"
The sick bayman is 'poultice mix
err
The painter, Putty"
The sailmaker, Sails"
Signalman, Bunting Tosser," and
the drummer, "Sticks."
Biscuits are hard tack" and pre-
served meat, Fanny Adams:" 1t is al
so referred to as soup and bully"
Fresh meat boiled with vegetables in
the copper is copper rattle" while
plum pudding is plum DUFF or '.fggy
dowdy."
TO be asked by messmate to pass
the lighthouse" is simply request
for the pepperbox; similar request
for ''gibby' means a spoon.
To hear a man being smashed"
means that he has lost his petty officer
rating, while to hear that he got a
lift expresses the opposite-that he
has received promotion.
\ man breaking his leave is said TO
be ''stething it" and if after punish
ment he is heard to upbraid himself for
his folly, he is said to be "fiogging the
cat" Long may your big jib draw"
conveys to n messmate all the possible
good you can wish him; while IN
stretch you along like Yankee main
tack" has far different meaning.
Cooking a chest like half-pay adj
ipirar' is often used to describe the
bulk of person who is considered to
be putting on side.
| TO he told that you look like "a billy
goat IN stays - not n compliment.
TO spin cuff is to tell a story, and
to be told TO cut the alter signifies
you are TO stop and generai.y TO go ON
with the job in hand.
Tho order to "heave round, '>slook
suippery," or shake a leg" means
you are to make haste.
10 top your boom" or "shove OFF, is
TO leave the company You may be con
versine with.
While the modern expression. We'll,
you take the cake" is now often used,
It's equivalent. well, you paul my cap
stan still may be heard.
To be told to buck up and take n
chilly" is an intimation for you TO
shake yourself together, especially so
| II the person in question has had
cooking day"-a drop too much. The
sun is said to be over and foreyard"
when referring to anyone not sober,
and to hear of so-and-so having "rolled
up" means that he is dead.
''Rargie" doesn't sound very select,
but such is the expression used ON the
lower deck. Once n man takes a lik-
ing to one man more than the remand
ef OF the ships company, they at once
become known as "raggies."
| Naval proverbs are interesting. but
not very expressive. For instance,
"First on the topsail and last in the
beef skid'' is that expression made con-
corning smart seaman.
Pick him up and pipe clay him and
he'll do again. is often used to express
that marine has slipped down a lad
der leading to the lower deck.