RMS Caronia Timeline

Glossary Page 1
Nautical & Slang Terms

The Cunard Line's ‘Green Goddess’

Luxurious ocean travel aboard a world-famous British cruise liner

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Common Nautical Terms
This list of terms on this page has been built from the information contained in several books that were issued to Caronia passengers to help them become accustomed to “the language of the sea”.

Crew Slang Terms
This list will be built up over a period of time and will show the several slang terms, other than expletives, applied to commonly observed items or situations. I'm indebted to “Mitch” Mitchell for reminding me of several of the crew slang terms listed here.

If you can contribute new information, do please get in touch…

Common Nautical Terms
Aft (abaft)
Toward the stern or end of the vessel
Forward
Toward the bow or front of the vessel
Starboard
The right-hand side of the ship looking forward
Larboard
The opposite of Starboard; an obsolete term, now superseded by “Port”
Port
The left-hand side of the ship looking forward
Port Hole
Round Stateroom or cabin window
Weather-side
The side of the ship toward the wind
Lee-side
The side away from the wind
Fore-and-aft
Lengthwise with the ship
Thwartship
Crosswise to the ship
Midship
Toward the middle or “waist” of a ship equidistant from the bow and stern
Keel
The central longitudinal beam at the extreme underside of the vessel, the foundation of the whole structure
Bilge
The flat underwater portion of the body of a vessel, the lowest part except the keel
Bilge Keel
Strictly speaking, not a keel at all but a fin projecting outwardly from the outer turn of the bilge to prevent rolling.
Bridge
A railed-in passageway entirely across the ship in front of and connected to the pilot house, for the use of the navigating officers in directing the course of the ship
Pilot House
An elevated structure on the boot deck from which the ship is steered and controlled
Chart Room
The Captain's office, usually adjoining the pilot house
Stem
Extreme forward end of body of ship
Top
Stern
Extreme after end of body of ship
Rudder
Hinged projection for steering attached to stern post
Screw
Propeller
Poop
A raised deck toward the stern
Fo'c'sle
The “fore-castle” - usually the seamen's quarters
Galley
The ship's kitchens
Mess / Mess-room
Officers / Crew dining area
Alleyway
Corridor or Passageway
Bulkhead
Partition, cabin wall
Companionway
Stairwell
Scupper
Drainage channel along deck at rails
Pitching
Plunging of ship's bow in the sea, causing up-and-down movement
Rolling
Motion of ship from side to side
Scending
A mixture of rolling and pitching
Latitude
Measurement showing distance or position directly North or South of the Equator
Longitude
Measurement showing distance or position directly East or West of the meridian of Greenwich
Altitude
Angular distance of the Sun above the horizon
Sextant
An instrument for measuring a required angle by the manipulation of mirrors
Dead Reckoning
A method of finding a ship's approximate position from the course steered and distance run
Chart
A nautical or sea map
Fathom
A measurement unit of Six feet
Soundings
Depth of water in fathoms, or feet
Top
Drift Current
Movement of the surface of the sea
Deadlight
A solid covering of wood or metal for a port hole, used in severe weather
Bower Anchor
A working anchor, kept ready for immediate use
Sheet Anchor
A spare anchor, reserved for occasions of urgency
Cable
Anchor chains
Hawse Pipe
Openings in bow for anchor chain
Capstan
Windlass for letting out or hoisting in the cable
Log
An instrument towed by the vessel, by which the distance sailed is ascertained
Ship's Log
Official (log-book) daily record of the ship's proceedings
RMS / R.M.S.
Royal Mail Ship - a ship registered to carry International Mails
Epaulette
an ornamental shoulder piece or decoration often used as insignia to indicate rank
Writer
An Officer's clerk or secretary
Slang Nautical Terms
Minty
Malodorous person or item of clothing
Winger
Dining Room Steward
Holy-Joes
Socks or underwear items with more holes than the usual
Glory-Hole
The below deck areas of Crew and/or Steward's accommodation
Glory-Hole Steward
Steward who looks after the Crew / Steward's accommodation
Fruit / Linen / Silver King
Stewards in charge of the fruit, linen and cutlery/silver lockers, respectively
Boots
Steward detailed with overnight cleaning of passenger boots and shoes
Stairhead Man
Steward detailed with keeping all passenger companionways (staircases) clean and clear
Top
Saloon Bobby
The “Maître d'” - the senior dining-room steward below catering officers
Channel Fever
Yearning for the night the ship enters the English Channel homeward-bound. A form of home-sickness
Channel Night
The evening prior to the ship entering the English Channel on its way home
Schooner Rig
Dressing for duty in a makeshift uniform
Slops
Clothing and/or bedding items issued to seaman by ship's purser
Dhobi
Clothing items for washing or laundering
Tiger
Personal Steward or valet for the most senior Ship's Officers, usually Captain, Staff Captain, Chief Engineer and Doctor or Surgeon
Bloods
Ship's passengers
Up the wall
being so busy you can hardly cope, also known as a “work-up”
The Pig

Short for “The Pig & Whistle” - the crew bar on board ship.

The name “Pig & Whistle” comes from the old English words “Piggin” and “Wassail.” Piggin was a big lead cup, which was used to hold a spiced wine called Wassail. In the winter the wine would be heated and drunk at the local Inn. Gradually the Inn took on the name of this famous wine and the mug it was drunk from, hence the Pig and Whistle.

or…

E. Cobham Brewer 1810~1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.

Pig and Whistle. The bowl and wassail, or the wassail-cup and wassail. A piggen is a pail, especially a milk-pail; and a pig is a small bowl, cup, or mug, making “milk and wassail”; similar to the modern sign of Jug and Glass; i.e. beer and wine. Thus a crockery-dealer is called a pig-wife.

If you can contribute new information, do please get in touch…

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Page last updated on Thu, 27 Mar 2025

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