WORD LISTS

Piratical Verbiage

December 22, 2008 (updated June 17, 2009)

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!

able

capable, competent; "able bodied seamen"

ardent

passionate, zealous; "Here we be,a dozen choice lads, ardent souls and very eager - and here be a marvellous rich city..."

barbarous

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).

belay

stop; "Belay!" listen up; stop what you're doing and pay attention; "Belay the hammers!"shut up; be quiet; "Belay yer cursed jaw-tackle!"

bold

fearless, daring; "I have singled out these bold fellows, with whom I have resolved to venture to the Gulf of Persia."

brethren

brothers; Used by pirates to refer to their comrades.

butcherly

violent; murderous; "He was a butcherly dog"

comrade

also "comarado" - friend, colleague, companion;rnUsed typically to refer to a fellow member of one's company or crew.

cutthroat

evil or dangerous person; villain; killer

daft

mad, insane; stupid, foolish "Yer daft, mate!"

doubloon

Pirates occasionally, and redundantly, refer to the coin as a "gold doubloon," as a means of emphasizing or celebrating its worth.

ducat

"Ducat" was often used loosely as a proxy term for any principal unit of currency, particularly the piece of eight.

grog

liquor, especially rum, mixed with water

lubber

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!"

marauding

A term for "Engaging in piracy"rn"Morgan was made captain, and they went marauding along the coast, where they captured several ships."

mark

listen to what I am saying; remember my words;rn"(you)mark me", "mark(well)my words(s)"

pestiferous

annoying; bothersome

pillage

A term for "engaging in piracy"

plunder

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."

rogue

Used ironically to convey affection for, familiarity with, joviality to, or mock condemnation of the person addressed.

roving

A term for "piracy" or more broadly, the pirate life. "She's gone a roving"

scabrous

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)

scoundrel

deceitful or wicked person; "Wait, you lily-livered scoundrel! Come back and fight like a man"

shirking

avoiding or neglecting work or duty; lazy, worthless; "Back to work, you shirking lubbers!"

stout

dark beer made from roasted malt or roasted barley

upstart

arrogant, overreaching or self-promoting person;rn"Belay, I'll tend to this fine-feathered upstart meself."

verily

indeed; truly; certainly "Aye, verily, truer words were never spoken."

vermin

obnoxious, offensive, or contemptible person;rnLiterally meaning an insect or rodent, the term is used figuratively to refer derisively to any despicable person.

wildcat

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."

scalawag

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.